I only serve the leaders

我只为领导服务 (wǒ zhǐ wèi ling dǎo fú wù): I only serve the leaders

These are the words of a traffic cop in Chengdu. On the morning of December 11, 2010 a number of people were attempting to drive into the parking area of a sports stadium. At the same time, a government official’s vehicle was attempting to leave the parking area. The traffic cop who was attempting to choreograph the chaos begin rapping on a vehicle’s window and telling the driver to hurry up and make way so the “leader’s car” could get through. As recorded on camera the driver and the traffic cop had the following conversation:

Cop: I only care about the safety of the leaders. Why would I give a **** about you? You remember this alright. Driver: Let me ask you one more time, who do you serve? Cop: I serve the leaders. Who's more important, the leaders or someone else? Driver: You say that one more time. Cop: Who’s more important, the leaders or someone else? Huh? The fact that you’re not going to broadcast this shows what a f****ing coward you are. You can record all you want, boy.

交警说：“我只管领导的安全，我不管你啥子哈。你记到这一点哈。” 司机反问：“再问你一句：你为哪个服务？” 交警回应：“为领导服务。”并问对方：“领导重要还是哪个重要？” 司机说：“你再说一遍。” 交警再次说：“领导重要还是哪个重要？啊？”除此之外，交警还加了一句“你不把它播出来，就说明你操得孬，小伙子。随便你录……”

The reason the traffic cop’s words struck such a cord with netizens is that “serving the people” is the official motto of every government worker in China. Those words are emblazoned in large gold letters on the major government buildings of most cities. The traffic cop’s words and his preferential treatment of the government official exposed how in China often the opposite is true—the government is there to serve the leadership and not the people.