Substance without all the sparks

From this outsider's perspective looking in, the annual sessions of China's top legislature and political advisory body appear to be remarkably harmonious.

By the end the first session of the 11th CPPCC National Committee, 4,772 proposals had been raised, covering agriculture, healthcare, education, employment, social security, housing, environmental protection and food and drug policies.

But among the suggestions and polite discussion there seems to have been little time left to argue. There was none of the obvious cut-and-thrust that characterizes politics elsewhere.