On Friday morning, about two hundred journalists from both domestic and international media were denied access to the panel discussion of the Chongqing Municipality delegation to the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Gallery>>>)

The Chongqing delegation had been expected to hold what is called an Open Day, which would allow all journalists to cover their panel discussion and pose questions to the delegates.

There were also rumors that both of the city's top leaders would join the discussion, meet with the media and would be willing to answer "all questions from the press."

Some journalists arrived as early as 6:45 AM, over two hours before the scheduled start at 9 AM at the Chongqing Hall, on the fourth floor of the Great Hall of the People. Shortly afterwards however, security guards and a staff worker with the delegation told them that only those who had made online registrations beforehand could enter.

This restriction instantly caused a big commotion at the only staircase area that leads to the Chongqing Hall. Many reporters argued with the organizers, saying other delegations' "Open Days" never required any registration in advance.

The staff worker, wearing a professional smile, replied that it wasn't going to be an "Open Day," but "a panel discussion only," and those who "had registered on the NPC Press Center's website would be allowed in."

He also thanked all the reporters for their "attention to and enthusiasm about Chongqing," but "really couldn't let" them in, because the "small Chongqing Hall can't hold this many people."

It was common knowledge amongst the press covering this year's NPC that the Chongqing delegation would hold its Open Day on the morning of March 9. But it had not been publicly announced on the NPC Press Center's website as other delegations' Open Day activities were.

The municipality's staff worker at the scene of the commotion kept telling the agitated reporters as well as TV crews who were sending out live broadcasts of the scene that "this is not an Open Day and he was "not aware why the Press Center didn't clarify this. But everything has to be in line with superior [the Press Center's] arrangements."

The staff worker also said the municipality wouldn't hand out any "privileges" and those who had been allowed to pass had registered online. He then showed a sheet of paper with names printed on it.

The Chongqing Municipality has been a focus of media attention lately. Its practices in reforming the outdated household registration system, also known as the hukou system in China, i.e. giving the migrant rural workers who were mostly working in the city a permanent urban residence permit, have been praised as an innovative experimental measure.

In addition, there has been serious speculation about the political advancements of Bo Xilai, the municipality's Party chief, as well as those of its Mayor Huang Qifan, whose determination in eradicating criminal gangs has attracted much attention from the press.

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