China’s premier won’t meet the press after ‘two sessions’ for first time in 3 decades

Premier’s press conference will also be scrapped in future years unless there are exceptional circumstances

It usually offers the outside world a chance to hear directly from a high-ranking official on policy directions

Reading Time:4 minutes

Premier Li Qiang will deliver the government work report on Tuesday but will not hold a press conference at the end of the “two sessions”. Photo: AP

William Zhengin Hong KongandZhuang Pinghuiin Beijing

Published: 5:03pm, 4 Mar 2024Updated: 9:12pm, 4 Mar 2024

For the first time in three decades, the Chinese premier will not host a press conference at the end of the annual parliamentary sessions, which began in Beijing on Monday.

It will also be scrapped for future years of the current National People’s Congress’ term barring exceptional circumstances, said Lou Qinjian, spokesman for the NPC, China’s top legislative body.

The press conference – first held in 1988 and established as a customary practice in 1993 – is one of the most anticipated events of the annual “two sessions”, when the top political advisory body and legislature meet.

It is one of the rare occasions when a top Chinese leader takes questions from local and international media. Those questions are often tightly scripted and chosen in advance, but it offers the outside world a chance to hear directly from a high-ranking official on policy directions.

In particular, it has been seen as a platform for China to indicate its diplomatic priorities, not only in terms of the questions selected but also which country’s media they come from.

It also makes the premier a more familiar face globally than other Chinese leaders – including the president and Communist Party secretary – who seldom talk directly to outside media.

But Lou said that after a review, the leadership had decided to scrap the press conference since it often overlapped with similar events during the two sessions.

China’s premier won’t meet the press after ‘two sessions’ for first time in 3 decades

Premier’s press conference will also be scrapped in future years unless there are exceptional circumstances It usually offers the outside world a chance to hear directly from a high-ranking official on policy directions

Premier’s press conference will also be scrapped in future years unless there are exceptional circumstances

It usually offers the outside world a chance to hear directly from a high-ranking official on policy directions