The Power and the Glory

Liuzhou Government (i.e. Liuzhou branch of the Chinese Communist Party) have held ‘elections’ to choose various leaders. Of course, quite who gets to vote and who gets to stand is not mentioned, but you can be sure it ain’t the man in the street.

What is surprising (not in the least) is that, although the ‘election’ took place yesterday, everyone has known the result for weeks.

Among the ‘announcements' is the news that ex-mayor, Chen Gang, who was recently promoted to Party Secretary of Liuzhou Branch of the CCP, also becomes the Director of Liuzhou National Congress Standing Committee, whatever that might be. All in all, this means that he is the No. 1 top potato.

Next comes the news that Zheng Junkang has been ‘elected’ as Liuzhou Mayor. This is technically a higher position, but in practice the party always comes first and the party secretary rules the joint.

Not surprisingly, despite Liuzhou being the second largest city in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, both city leaders are of the Han nationality rather than Zhuang. In fact, the only guarantee that the ‘autonomous’ region has is that the provincial governor should be of the Zhuang nationality, but given that he is outranked by the party secretary, who is invariably Han, it means nothing.

Anyway, the new mayor got straight down to business this morning by visiting the site of a traffic accident on the outskirts of Liuzhou in which ten people died and two were seriously injured. To keep him company he took along a deputy mayor, a commissioner of the PSB (the cops), the head of the fire service and various other lackeys. Oh. And, of course, a photographer to record it for propaganda prosperity.

Business as usual. 

tags: liuzhou  government  china  communist  party  guangxi  zhuang  traffic  accident  

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