Never remember those NPC and other acronyms, not that I miss anything. Actually I would love to miss them.
Matthew Crabbe calls it “The Annual Gathering of the Fossils” (I prefer dinosaurs or funeral meetings).
This year delegates were asked not to sleep or disappear from the meetings to have long tea breaks. Sit, don’t talk, either stare in front of you as a statue or pretend you are busy taking notes. And of course, all vote yes. Don’t talk with journalists, and say all is swell. Those are the instructions. Obviously journalists were not too pleased.
As always so-called minorities in colorful dresses were there for the journalists to make some nice shots, and to pretend those people are for real and do have something to say.
The meetings are a total waste of time for everybody except to show the great motherland all is swell and united. Those who disagree promptly disappear in officially non-existent “hotels” and provide extra income for those who report them to ze-men-in-black.
It’s a waste of time as it stops life in the city, messes up traffic; the entertainment industry has to “behave” – no monkey business as for now till the fossils go back home (bad for the economy!). Viagra is not recommended in this period.
The fossils are officially not allowed to enjoy the good life and are not supposed to park their black Audis in front of sauna and massage clubs. No problem, they promptly cover their number plates with newspapers to alert passers-by they are there. Silly.
All that does not mean Chinese don’t discuss and possibly disagree – it is all done behind closed doors and weeks in advance. All in the family. Transparency is not in the vocabulary yet but more and more Chinese start complaining about it.
Meanwhile the police and other security people have to work more. Explains why I just saw a policeman drive his car without hands as he was busy smoking and talking on the phone. Overworked, the poor guys. And all those army cars (read: nice luxury cars with a WJ plate) driving around, visibly filled with civilian-looking guys enjoying the good life with their girlfriends.
Then those people wonder why we don’t like them.