Delegates get pared-down hotel service

Grabbing a small bag of printed materials after signing her name, Pang Xiaoli, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, completed the conference registration process at Beijing International Hotel.

The hotel is performing its usual role of providing accommodation to CPPCC delegates and offering spaces for related meetings, but this year it is offering pared-down service, in keeping with government orders.

"Registration has become much easier, and the materials have also become much thinner," said Pang, showing her bag containing a meeting agenda, a brochure of services and several other documents.

As the conference progresses, the amount of printed materials, such as the Government Work Report, will increase. However, the meeting organizers have tried to make full use of paper, said Pang, from Qinghai province, who is taking part in the second plenary session of the 12th CPPCC.

Sun Danping, another CPPCC member, praised the reduction in paper use, saying information has been uploaded on the CPPCC's website.

"The reduction in reference materials is in keeping with the times," Sun said. "We can be informed via an application on our cellphones. That way, we'll know when we have a group discussion somewhere."

The second session of the CPPCC and the second session of the 12th National People's Congress, known collectively as the two sessions, are the most important annual event on China's political calendar, and this year, great efforts have been made to reduce wastefulness.

The central government announced the move late in 2012. Since then, the leadership has been busy fighting undesirable work practices, such as excessive formality, bureaucracy, lavish entertainment and extravagance.

Pang said she noticed signs of frugality at this year's two sessions, saying that toiletries provided by the organizers in previous years were now lacking.

Beijing International Hotel has also made noticeable cutbacks.

"No flowers in our rooms now," Pang said. "Each room is supplied with two bottles of water. I had to ask an attendant to bring me another one after I finished mine."

This is the seventh time Pang has taken part in the two sessions, and she said the efforts to reduce extravagance are noticeable and welcome.

On the 15th floor of the hotel, an attendant named Guo said every cleaner is required to stop providing fresh fruit for a room if the occupants have not eaten theirs for more than two days.

The hotel's lobby manager, who asked not to be identified, said each floor has four attendants, who will ask deputies whether they need more fruit if theirs has not been eaten.

Meanwhile, the hot tea normally provided by attendants is replaced this year by small bottles of water.

"We'll provide deputies with green labels. They can write their names on them and paste them on their bottles. After drinking the water, our attendants will give them another one," he said. "It was common in the past for tea to be made for members during discussions, but that really is a waste of work."

He said that two small bottles of water are enough for a group discussion, which lasts about two hours at most.

What's more, the armed police who guarantee hotel security during the meetings are staying in the recycled dormitories as last year, whereas normally a new dormitory building would be built each year. The bulletin boards in the lobby are also recycled from last year.

Pu Xingzu, a Fudan University professor who specializes in the congress system, said the efficiency of conferences must be improved, but meeting schedules should not be hurried.

"We should give delegates and members enough time to speak out fully and provide them with sufficient information during the sessions," Pu said.

"The range of services and agenda items to be cut and how to save resources should all be considered carefully," he said.