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from the South China Morning Post, 2000-Feb-21, by Mark O'Neill
Ask ordinary Beijing people about the annual meeting of the National People's Congress - China's parliament - next month and you get a series of jokes.
"You heard the one about the three hands?" said a clothes vendor, referring to the 3,000 delegates who will attend the NPC, which convenes on March 5.
"One is for clapping, one is for shaking hands and one is to vote to approve the [Communist] Party's decisions."
Or the three fakes? "The fake statistics, the fake newspaper reports and the fake speeches by the leaders."
For most people, NPC delegates represent the people as much as the People's Daily, the party newspaper, reflects the views of the people - that is to say, not at all.
"The NPC is a theatrical show," said an unemployed worker. "No one believes it is a real parliament; the deputies have no power to change the decisions of the leaders. Holding it is a question of face for the party, maybe to impress the foreigners that there is democracy in China.
"I do not know who my deputy is. Was there an election? I have never voted for anyone," he said.
One taxi driver was even more cynical. "Are you really asking me about the NPC? Are you serious? No one pays any attention to it. We common people count for nothing at the NPC. They put it on for the foreigners.
"The delegates are chosen by the party, not the people. If they make a fuss and criticise something, they will not be invited back next year, so they keep silent and enjoy a good time in Beijing at the expense of the state.
"They have no contact with ordinary people. They live in heavily guarded hotels, travel everywhere in special cars and buses and hold meetings. It is impossible for us to see them. What kind of 'people's delegate' is that?"
One way of expressing their disgust is to joke about NPC Chairman Li Peng for his alleged stupidity.
One NPC joke making the rounds is about a trip Mr Li made to the countryside to inspect a pig farm. A photographer from the People's Daily was on hand and dutifully took a picture of Mr Li with the animals.
The newspaper editor submitted the picture to Mr Li's secretary with the caption "the pigs and Li Peng". His secretary amended this to "Li Peng and the pigs" and handed it to his boss for final approval.
The next morning the secretary picked up the newspaper and saw the photo with the caption: "Fourth from the left is Li Peng."
Driving the jokes and the satire is discontent that the Government is not addressing the issues that affect ordinary people - rising unemployment, job insecurity, the gradual removal of state education, pensions and medical care and its replacement by a system based on money.
The winners are the minority with money, good skills and qualifications, foreign languages and connections who are able to land good jobs.
Most bitter are men and women over 45 who worked all their life for a monthly salary of less than 1,000 yuan (HK$940) in a state factory that has shut down. The modest savings of such people are no guarantee of a pension or medical care in old age.