This was not the first time I had seen NPC deputies and CPPCC members encircled by swarms of reporters trying to ask questions, because this scene often appears on TV, in newspaper stories or in online reports.

But it was the first time I had seen these scenes personally, in the Great Hall of the People or hotels where the representatives have panel discussions, as I covered the two sessions - China's biggest political event of the year - as a reporter.

It's often very difficult to tell who the representative is, as they are surrounded by layers and layers of journalists. I have even heard some reporters say they often didn't know the guy whom they were trying to interview, they just followed in the steps of their fellow reporters.