Visitors get close to top leader

China's leaders really rolled out the red carpet for democratic legislators during their 'ice-breaking' trip early this week. Even Zeng Qinghong was on hand to greet the rumbustious bunch at a Honda factory in Guangzhou!

At least several lawmakers were suitably flattered when they heard who was to meet them, until a distinguished looking gentleman turned up.

Well, it was not the vice-president but a vice-general manager at the Japanese car plant, whose name is pronounced in exactly the same way, with only the last character written differently.

We were told the lawmakers were nonetheless thrilled by the state-of-the-art, fully automated plant in the bosom of the motherland.