China ends 30-year tradition: premier's annual press conference

The decision to cancel the longstanding tradition of the premier's post-parliament news conference in China, a pivotal event for global insights into Chinese policy and economic direction, has been framed within the context of a broader shift towards centralization and perceived isolation. The use of biased language emerges in descriptions that suggest a binary interpretation of China's policy trajectory—either opening up or isolating—without acknowledging the possibility of strategic repositioning that does not neatly fit into either category. The appeal to tradition is evident in the critique of discontinuing a three-decade-long practice, implying a loss of something valuable or a step back due to the cessation of these conferences. Furthermore, a false dilemma is presented, suggesting that the only way for China to communicate effectively with the international community and its citizens about its policies and economic strategies is through this specific format of press engagement. This analysis overlooks the potential for alternative methods of communication that could serve similar or new objectives in the evolving landscape of global and domestic information sharing. The narrative surrounding the cancellation reflects concerns over transparency and accessibility of information, but it also simplifies a complex decision into a dichotomy of openness versus isolation, without considering the nuanced realities of international diplomacy and domestic governance.