Removing red-carpet barriers

A few days ago, the standing committee of the Hunan provincial committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) announced a decision on how local governments would receive leading officials from the provincial government. Red carpets and banners will be banned in ceremonies welcoming the leading officials, the decision said.

I was shocked when I read the media report on the move. I knew that red carpets were used on diplomatic occasions to honor visiting state leaders from other countries, but never learned that they were also used in local governments' reception of officials at higher levels.

Going for grand, ostentatious styles for departure or arrival when traveling to places within their jurisdiction used to be an essential part of the Chinese traditional culture of officialdom. The practice was abandoned when the CPC-led revolution succeeded in 1949. The Communist leaders regarded it as dishonorable behavior of lording over the common people.