By Li Qiyan 

November 13:

I went to the National Reform and Development Commission (NDRC) yesterday for an interview. Usually you have to register at the mail room before entering the office. The mail room, at best a dozen square meter in size, had more than forty people huddling in it. Those who were dragging a piece of luggage had obviously just traveled here from a trip from outside Beijing. Everybody had his cell phone on hand, waiting anxiously for an entrance permit.

Why were there so many people in the mail room? The reason is the 4-trillion yuan stimulus package unveiled Monday. People are crowding from around the country to get a slice of the massive pie.

The mail room was just a start. People told me the hallway was also packed, let alone other offices.

The head of NDRC, Zhang Ping, asked officials to treat fund seekers well. So now many officials have to work while listening to stories and projects brought from all over the country.

When the State Council held its meeting on November 5, well-informed staff from the ministry and project managers who were near-by started their campaign right away, and now most of the funding has already been parceled. Insiders told me that what’s left isn’t more than scraps..

In fact, most of the projects funded in the stimulus package were earmarked and waiting for money. New projects submitted now have little hope for admission.

In the end, I didn’t get in NDRC’s office. Neither did lots of people in the mail room.