Via Geremie Barme, Wu Guoguang’s classier-than-average reading of Hu Jintao’s escorted departure from the final meeting of the CCP 20th Congress (scroll down to The Theatrical Denouement of a One-man Show)…
On Twitter people have been asking if anyone can lip read. My response was to say that the bar for studying Chinese politics really is being raised pretty high: up until now people were supposed to be expert in facial micro expressions, now that was no longer enough – you need to be able to lip read, too. If this trend continues I’ll soon be out of a job.
…what was truly extraordinary was the fact that neither Xi Jinping nor Li Keqiang made any effort to extend even the most rudimentary courtesy to their former superior. Neither said anything to Hu Jintao, nor for that matter did they make any attempt to explain to congress representatives what was happening.
…Instead, what we saw was all those men who had been elevated to power by Hu Jintao like Li Keqiang, Wang Yang and Hu Chunhua, as well as many others, sitting there nervously – no expressions on their faces, no sign of understanding for Hu or sympathy … wooden men, frozen and dumbfounded, witnessing it all in stoney silence.
For fans of more intriguing theories, ASPI Strategist quotes exiled dissident Wei Jingsheng.
“…wooden men, frozen and dumbfounded, witnessing it all in stoney silence.”
Anyone surprised? A group of robotic but back stabbing goons who, once they reach a certain level, have every aspect of their lives (publicly, at least) stage managed so as not to appear the least bit human, lest the serfs see a “chink” in the armour? Even Winnie’s famous surprise dumpling shop pop-in had nary a whiff of spontaneity about it.
As far as the HSI, there’s a rousing vote of confidence for the new leadership “team” if I ever saw one!
“Or maybe it will stop at what we saw on Saturday night, and we’ll never know for sure. In any case, it’s important to remember that political opponents of the CCP often ‘fall ill’ or die in very questionable circumstances.” ~ From The Strategist article
Or in Hu’s case, being a “venerable” ex leader, he’ll be allowed to live but will be denied medical care and necessary medicines until he perishes, a la Liu Xiaobo.
Don’t the CCP apologists always tell us that the CCP is a “big tent” and inside that tent there is plenty of room for all to participate and prosper? The Machiavellian shenanigans of Comrade JinPing don’t add up to that old chestnut. I feel a wave of party cleansing coming up.
” the bar for studying Chinese politics really is being raised pretty high . . . you need to be able to lip read”
You need to be able to lipread through a mask.
“I feel a wave of party cleansing coming up.”
Under Shit Jinping when ISN’T there a Party cleansing happening??