Why was China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji missing at the end of ‘two sessions’?

Name: China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji absent as ‘two sessions’ parliamentary meeting closes
Uploaded: 2025-03-11T07:02:08.000Z
Duration: 2 min 2 s
Description: China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji absent as ‘two sessions’ parliamentary meeting closes

Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and former corruption body secretary was last seen in public on Saturday

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Chinese President Xi Jinping leaves after the closing session of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Photo: AFP

Xinlu Liangin Beijing,William Zhengin Hong KongandAlyssa Chenin Beijing

Published: 3:02pm, 11 Mar 2025Updated: 7:12pm, 11 Mar 2025

For the first time in recent history, the chairman of China’s top legislative body was absent on Tuesday at the closing of its parliamentary meeting known as the “two sessions”.

Zhao Leji, 68, the third most senior official and the chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC), had taken leave because of a “respiratory tract infection”, according to his deputy, Li Hongzhong, who presided over the closing ceremony instead.

Zhao’s last public appearance was at the first meeting of the NPC presidium on Saturday.

It is the first time in decades that the NPC closing meeting was not attended by all Politburo Standing Committee members.

Zhao’s name, however, was mentioned when Li announced the voting results of the NPC’s annual work report.

02:02

China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji absent as ‘two sessions’ parliamentary meeting closes

The NPC deputies “listened to and reviewed the work report delivered by chairman Zhao Leji on behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The session fully affirmed the work of the standing committee over the past year, endorsed the tasks proposed in the report for the upcoming year and resolved to approve the report,” Li said.