Pity those who have to walk and talk

REPORTER'S LOG? ZHOU YAN

The long walk on the red carpet from the North Gate of the Great Hall of the People to the auditorium I reckon must be one of the most challenging walks for some of the country's most powerful ministers.

It's no secret to journalists that the North Gate is the main access for ministers, along with the thousand or so other members of the CPPCC during the plenary session.

Zhou Yan

But what's more important to the media is that the top figures have no assistants with them, making it much easier for us to approach them. You just need to recognize them immediately!

Those whose faces are familiar from frequent TV appearances are the most vulnerable to the media. They tend to be the ones in charge of the most powerful departments, dealing with controversial topics.

I remember last year when Shang Fulin, then chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, was beleaguered by reporters bellowing tough questions near the North Gate. There were so many reporters and photographers, that some had to rest their equipment on his shoulders to record his words.

And there were lots of questions. China's stock market, regulated by the CSRC, had plunged more than 14.3 percent in 2010, making it the worst performer in the world after debt-stricken Greece.

This year Shang, who was appointed chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission in October, managed to avoid the same thing happening again.

Coincidently, I met him on Monday when he attended a meeting with Zhejiang deputies. He left swiftly with his assistants, smiling and taking a few quick questions en route.

To be frank, it's almost impossible to obtain newsworthy answers from top officials at the North Gate.

But to me, the interesting part is that you can easily tell what are the hottest topics for journalists at home and abroad by the popularity of the officials. Ministers and similar high-level officials from sectors such as finance, information technology and health are the most popular ones. In contrast, sectors such as culture seem less glamorous.

It's also a good opportunity to observe the personalities of these public figures. I notice that when younger officials take to the stage, some look more confident when facing the media.

For example, Guo Shu-qing, 55, who took over from Shang as CSRC chairman, greeted the media up front, even though said almost nothing newsworthy in his speech. And Guo, former chairman of China Construction Bank, is considered a bold reformer.

You know, we journalists not only wait at the North Gate, but we also walk around the Great Hall of the People's corridors and lobbies trying to catch interesting people to interview. It's not an easy job, believe me. We have to work hard both intellectually and physically.

I know it's kind of annoying for NPC deputies and CPPCC members that the media is everywhere chasing news. But we also make the serious political event more dynamic and interesting, don't we?

zhouyan@chinadaily.com.cn