A rule for everything

China's new standing committee is trying to change its image. Along with a ban of red carpets and fawning state media write ups they have instituted a new rule on speeches.

The updated rules also ban dull, long speeches and fawning write-ups in the state newspapers, as the party tries to reshape its image.

Emphasis added. This seems silly but apparently the origin of this rule comes from how at meetings Chinese official would speak in monotone for hours. Maybe being able to take up more time than other officials was part of the status games they played. So it sounds like this will be a positive influence until the rule is used to punish people who gave speeches with unfavorable substance. But it also demonstrates just how strange things are over there that there had to be a specific policy shift to bring about this change.