First came thousands of police and troops to guard the roads, then hundreds of officials to monitor residents, and finally the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to share Lunar New Year celebrations with ordinary citizens.
At a time when the Chinese government is worried by rising social unrest, Wen and other national leaders this week embarked on annual pilgrimages to workers and farmers in poorer regions.
Wen toured rural Heze and neighbouring Jining in Shandong province in coastal northern China, highlighting his promise to improve farmers’ healthcare, schools and incomes in the country’s next five-year development plan.