media - Dealing with the Chinese governments

Just watched another BBC business program where confused reporters tried to make sense out of the ongoing bidding war between Shanghai and Nanjing based automotive companies for MG Rover's bankrupt assets. How does that work, said the anchor man, a "totalitarian regime" and then two different governments fighting each other. Always a bit of a nuisance when China does not behave according to the cliches media have to rely on.