The Two Sessions, the annual, concurrent meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is underway in Beijing. The event is significant because China uses it to set various objectives for the country as well as to appoint officials to various senior-level roles, such as Foreign Affairs Minister. The Two Sessions officially end today with the final ceremony; however, provincial delegations will continue to meet for the remainder of the week. The CPPCC ended yesterday with the Chairman, Wang Huning, delivering a speech that was covered in yesterday’s rollup.
March 11th
NPC
The NPC passed resolutions to approve the three work reports from the NPC Standing Committee, Supreme People’s Court, and Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
The Congress also voted to approve the Government Work Report, the 2024 National Economic and Social Development Plan, and the 2024 central budget.
The NPC then passed the revised Organic Law of the State Council. The law’s major revisions were discussed in the daily rollup for March 6th. However, the Presidential Order or the revised law has a date for when the law will come into effect.
NPC Standing Committee Chairman, Zhao Leji, gave a speech during the closing ceremony. He first stated that the NPC, under the combined efforts of all delegates successfully completed its agenda. Zhao then pointed out that the Congress “shouldered the Party and the people’s heavy trust” to perform their duties and review the various motions and reports. By doing so, the session “fully embodied the unity of the Party’s proposition and the will of the people,” which demonstrated the advantages of the people’s democracy process and China’s fundamental political system.
Zhao then said that 2024 is the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China but also that the year is crucial for realizing the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan. He also said that it is significant to implement the tasks set by the NPC and to strive to achieve the year’s economic and social development goals. Zhao then explained how the Congress would work towards Chinese-style modernization under the leadership of the CCP Central Committee with Xi as its head and be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
He then urged the NPC delegates to practice “the people-centered development idea, develop the whole process of people’s democracy, fully respect the people’s expressed will,” stimulate the enthusiasm and vitality of entrepreneurship, and gather the powerful forces of unity and struggle. Zhao also urged the members to “be pragmatic, work hard, overcome difficulties, make good achievements, strive to overcome difficulties one by one, do a good job, and complete the tasks” in unity and struggle to realize the people’s aspirations for a better life.
Zhao then expanded on how both unity and struggle are “the necessary way for the Chinese people to create historical greatness. He stated that the NPC should unite “more closely around the CCP Central Committee with Xi as its core, unite as one, struggle and strive for the great cause of comprehensively promoting the construction of a strong nation. Zhao also added that the Congress should also unite around Xi and the CCP Central Committee to achieve “national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization and unremitting struggle.”
Zhao then announced the end of the 14th NPC’s second session.