Hong Kong Shue Yan University sends four students to cover the annual sessions of NPC and CPPCC each year. The trip is sponsored by HKSYU and the Journalism Education Foundation. This year, the students were divided into teams, representing the Sing Tao Daily and ATV. The following account is by Christy Tong a HKSYU third-year journalism student who was a member of the student reporting team.

As a first-time junior reporter at the annual sessions of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, the task of covering these events came with its challenges, some obvious and others unexpected.

The second sessions of the 12th CPPCC and NPC started on March 3. The meetings, especially the NPC, are heavily covered by reporters from all over the world. This is where  Chinese Communist Party leaders make important national decisions and announce the country’s blueprint for the upcoming year.

The conference, also known as a “rubber-stamp” where officials automatically approve proposals without much consideration, is often filled with challenges and surprises. While the gathering is known for government officials delivering a multitude of speeches along with the goal of passing various proposals, it’s also an place for reporters to seek unique interviews and context from key leaders amid the tight meeting schedules.

This year saw especially tight security against the backdrop of the recent Kunming terrorist attack at the railway station and the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. There were up to five security checks along the 2-kilometer route leading to the Great Hall of the People in addition to hundreds of armed and plainclothes police officers who made random security checks on passers-by.

Punctuality is essential but with the early morning meetings coupled with bumper to bumper traffic, we chose to take the Beijing subway instead of grabbing a taxi. In order to avoid the random security checks that are imposed on journalists, we disguised ourselves as typical tourists, hiding our cameras, press passes, and holding guide maps in hand.

But the challenges escalated when we entered the Great Hall of the People (a monumental 171,800 square meters). At the end of the meetings, a sea of more than 2,000 of the Chinese standing committee members would simultaneously exit. We had to be quick and nimble to stop someone for an interview.

Liu Wei-tao, an editor at the People’s Daily said, “You can’t be too shy when seeking interview targets, as for most part you are either working alone or with a small crew. You need to be specific and able to recognize the faces. ” He added, “These officials are often very sophisticated in avoiding reporters.”

But Liu also said, “Reporters shouldn’t show their arrogance towards these officials, after all politeness is always the key to start a conversation with them.”

The CPPCC’s and NPCs press centre do provide reporters a helping hand. The CPPCC’s website offers a registration system, allowing reporters to place interview invitations to its committee members.

However, according to Tammy Tso, a Hong Kong reporter of AASTOCKS, an advisory investment firm with its offices in Hong Kong and the mainland said, “it seems that it is hard to fill those requests unless they are made by mainstream media.” With her fourth time at the sessions, she mentioned most of her invitations to Chinese prominent financial figures for exclusive interviews were rejected this year, whereas they were filled in the past.

In summary, I learned that being a good reporter not only meant producing stories, but being flexible and sensitive to surroundings. Being nimble and observant distinguished us from the thousands of other reporters.

 

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