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Two Sessions 2023
ChinaPolitics

Explainer | What are China’s ‘two sessions’ and why do they matter?

  • The country’s main political set piece of the year will see a new government team unveiled
  • Changes to the political leadership last year have already provided plenty of clues about who will fill the top roles

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The event will open on Saturday amid tight security. Photo: AP
Hayley Wong
China’s largest political gathering of the year, known as the “two sessions” begins on Saturday in Beijing.
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The event will see the announcement of new appointees to top government jobs in the wake of a major leadership reshuffle at last year’s Communist Party congress and the unveiling of the government’s policy agenda following the abrupt end to its strict zero-Covid policies.

Here are the key questions about the meeting.

What are the “two sessions”?

The two sessions, or lianghui, refers to the meeting of the country’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and the top political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The event will begin on Saturday when more than 2,000 CPPCC members assemble at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The legislative session starts the following day.

The 2,977 deputies in the legislature represent mainland provinces, autonomous regions (including Hong Kong and Macau), municipalities, and the People’s Liberation Army. There is also a Taiwanese delegation, but it is made up solely of mainland residents.

Meanwhile, the CPPCC exists to debate proposals, not pass laws, and consists of 2,172 representatives from various representative groups, industries and nominally non-Communist political parties.

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