Opinion | Censorship clouds signals of resolve to tackle China's air pollution
Hopes that the nation's smog problem will be dealt with more seriously may not be realised
Just a week after its release, former television host Chai Jing's viral film on air pollution, Under The Dome, was the elephant in the room at the new environment minister's press conference.
None of the 12 reporters - all from local media - who were picked to ask questions at Saturday's conference made mention of the documentary and the way it was censored online on the mainland.
"I'm sure the documentary is on everyone's mind. How weird that no one raised a single question about it," a Japanese reporter told me.
Another reporter for a Beijing-based newspaper said the questions had been "coordinated" beforehand to avoid any embarrassment.
Also missing at this year's meetings is the sense of urgency to tackle China's air pollution problem that was present at previous annual national parliamentary sessions. Top officials, lawmakers and political advisers alike seem to have toned down their comments on the now-sensitive issue.
For instance, when Premier Li Keqiang delivered his report to the National People's Congress on Thursday, he made no mention of the word "smog" in explaining the government's plans to improve China's environmental quality.