Meeting someone is one thing, having a truly casual encounter is another. I really don't know who you guys on this board are, but FTs that I know and me have had quite different experiences. My part goes with social outings in golf courses, on tennis courts etc where my local buddies either shy away when with the big sharks or blatantly explaining to me that the assistant Mayor cannot play doubles with you or against you on the tennis court. However, as you pointed out we may have dinners or social exchanges with such figures which in my opinion often is just to get to know who you are or to survey your attitude. I myself have attended a couple dinners with people from up there just like you, but I don't really think any of those folks would come along to see a movie with me.

If you work in a university you will come into contact with the party secretary at some stage
as each department/faculty has one. This is either through the formal gatherings and
dinners or if they seek you out for a specific reason. In my private life, in the place
where I live now, I've meet several party members, usually identified with a badge on
the left lapel. Only a few weeks back I was talking to the Party Secretary for the
province, at a dinner. He seemed to want to actively engage in conversation and after
the usual stuff about reasons for being in China he asked about my impression of the
city. On the positive side, I replied that I was pleased there would be a high-speed
rail link opening soon and the tree-planting programme was excellent. He asked how
things could be improved and, as I'm out of teaching now, I told him that traffic
management, driver behaviour and smoking in public places like restaurants are some of
the things that bothered me. He was really sympathetic and told of plans to deal with
these issues.

My impression was that this was more than polite conversation as there was a genuine need for
an opinion. When I next meet a party member I will ask if they are forbidden or
discouraged from socialisation. Even at a hotel I stayed in afew months back, where the
head of the reception staff was wearing a CCP lapel badge, I did not notice any
avoidance of engagement with foreigners and this was not just the usual customer service
approach.