Using buzzword shows a mass-friendly approach in political discourse

Official documents are characterized by formal language, so when an Internet buzzword was used in China's annual government work report, observers were quick to laud this people-friendly approach to political discourse.[Special coverage]

The government work report was delivered by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday to the third annual session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC).

"It goes without saying that powers should not be held without good reason," Li said, choosing to appropriate the word "renxing", which although common in the Chinese lexicon has not been used in this way before.

Rexing is often used to describe rich people who can do or buy what they want.

On Monday, Lyu Xinhua, spokesman for the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the top political advisory body, also used renxing to describe the fight against corruption. The interpreter translated it as capricious.

Li and Lyu's use of renxing can be taken as a sign that unruly officials will not be tolerated and the public are integral to the countercorruption campaign.

Although rare, this is not the first time that Chinese authorities have used the language of the people as a way to make politics more understandable and closer to the public.

CPC Central Committee General Secretary Xi Jinping is known for his use of metaphors to explain political and military concepts. In the "mass line" campaign from 2013 to 2014, Xi described the rectification of the undesirable workstyles as "look into the mirror, straighten the attire, take a bath and seek remedies."

This approach was also used by Chairman Mao. On one occasion he described foreign policy as "inviting guests after cleaning the house".