Reporter's Diary: Wrapping up Congress, looking forward

World
Europe

It’s over. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) officially came to an end on Thursday for journalists, with a final press conference wrapping up nine days of top-level political deliberations in Beijing.

Senior Party officials – from the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – came to offer their interpretations of the report adopted by the 19th CPC National Congress on Tuesday.

And from the crowd assembled one last time in the media center in west Beijing, it was clear reporters were eager for insights.

Eight men took to the stage – six senior Party officials flanked by two Congress spokesmen – and provided a deep dive into Party building and discipline, a focus since 2012 that will see no let up over the next five years.

Xiao Pei, deputy secretary of the CCDI, pledged to “eliminate all tumors that damage the health of our Party” and “remain firm as a rock” in the fight against corruption.

But pencils started scribbling furiously when Yang Weimin, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group for Finance and Economic Affairs, took to the microphone. He addressed China’s future economic development, which he said now prioritized high-quality over high-speed.

CGTN Photo

The shift of emphasis, which could have far-reaching effects both within China and for the wider world, feeds into the new “principal contradiction” identified by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, “between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people's ever-growing needs for a better life.”

Yang warned China’s economic “foundation is not strong enough” and said priority should be given to performance, efficiency and new growth drivers while pursuing deeper supply-side reform.

As spokesman Tuo Zhen closed proceedings, journalists were already on their feet, rushing off to file a story or perhaps relieved to see the end of an event that has been exciting and will shape China for years to come, but has also left many of us sleep-deprived, living on coffee, and somewhat unaware of what has been happening in the outside world for the last 10 days.

CGTN Photo

Reporters weren't the only people eager to get out. As we prepared to shoot stand-ups for this story, staff in red liveries swooped in to clear away the seats – and pose for photos.

“The Press Center of the 19th National Congress of the CPC will end its work at 17:00 on Thursday, 26 October,” read a notification that popped up on our phones.

At the entrance of the media center, the massive signboard welcoming people to the “Press Center of the 19th National Congress of CPC” was no more: the frame was still standing but the organizers had already taken a knife to the banner, leaving it in a pile on the floor – possibly a hint to reporters to just go home.

CGTN Photo

As we write these lines, the security checks and a giant TV screen promoting the Party Congress are being dismantled and the food – and more worryingly, the coffee – have been cleared away from the restaurant area where reporters have been working all week.

The Congress is over, but a dramatic nine days in Chinese politics have set a future for the country that will have global as well as domestic consequences. In five years’ time, delegates will gather for the 20th CPC National Congress – the decisions made in Beijing this week could have a big say on how the world will look in 2022.

7km