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China Parliamentary Sessions 2015

China Parliamentary Sessions 2015
The annual Chinese "lianghui" of 2015, or plenary meetings of China's top legislative and consultative bodies, the National People's Congress and the National People's Consultative Conference, takes place in Beijing in early to mid-March. It is one of the most important opportunities to observe China’s political, economic and social trends.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang speaks during a press conference after the closing ceremony of the annual session of China's legislature, the National People's Congress, in Beijing's Great Hall of the People on March 15, 2015. Photo: AFP

Analysis | How foreign media engages Beijing, and vice versa, at Li Keqiang's press conference

Encouraging entrepreneurship is key to meeting China's challenges

China still a developing nation, says Premier Li Keqiang as he signals country's plan to focus inwards

At Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's presser, eager reporters stop playing by the rules

Premier Li Keqiang's media conference after the annual National People's Congress plenum did not play out entirely according to script.

Journalists hoping to get picked to ask their questions. Photo: Xinhua

Is it time to end the One Child Policy?

China is studying further changes to its population control policy, Premier Li Keqiang said, amid intense speculation and debate over whether the country will completely throw out the one-child policy.

Li Keqiang

Fears that Beijing is tightening grip on Hong Kong 'unnecessary': Li Keqiang

Premier Li Keqiang has dismissed as 'unnecessary' worries that Beijing is tightening control over Hong Kong, telling journalists that the policy towards the city 'cannot be changed at will'.

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Li Keqiang

'Like taking a knife to one's flesh': Li Keqiang vows to push on with 'painful reforms'

Premier Li Keqiang admitted that China would face difficulties meeting its growth target but vowed to press ahead with "painful reforms" to cut red tape and spur growth through innovation.

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Premier Li Keqiang addresses the media in the Great Hall of the People yesterday, admitting that he sees difficulties ahead for China to meet its economic growth target. Photo: Reuters
China-Japan relations

‘Face up to your wartime past,' China’s premier tells Japan

Premier Li Keqiang urged Japan to face up to its past militarism and said this year, the 70th anniversary of the end of the second world war, would test bilateral relations.

Premier dismisses fears that Beijing wants to curb Hong Kong’s autonomy

Li Keqiang

China will protect borders says premier, after bomb from Myanmar warplane killed Chinese civilians

Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday that China would resolutely protect its borders after its military alleged that a stray bomb from a Myanmese aircraft killed five of its citizens.

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Rebel soldiers of Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) gather at a military base in Kokang. Photo: Reuters

What Premier Li Keqiang said (and what he sidestepped) at NPC press conference

Premier Li Keqiang has given a press conference to mark the end of China's annual parliamentary sessions in Beijing. Here's a brief guide to what he said - and what he didn't.

Premier Li answering questions at Sunday morning's press event in Beijing. Photo: EPA

‘Pollution still a priority,’ says China's premier as he avoids question of censored documentary

Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday that the government was committed to tackling smog, but avoided a direct answer to a direct question on a blocked air pollution documentary.

Reporter’s Notebook: China has way to go before holding a ‘media friendly’ NPC

The annual parliamentary sessions that took place in Beijing this month have been billed as the most media-friendly government event of the year in a country where the press is tightly controlled.

Update | China faces uphill task to meet lower economic growth target, says premier

 Li Keqiang tells press conference at the end of the National People's Congress that the country faces more pain ahead due to the nation's economic slowdown

China will further upgrade economic structures and aims to maintain medium- to high-speed economic growth, Li said. Photo: Bloomberg
Li Keqiang

Analysis | China's premier 'fails to grab headlines' in the shadow of powerful president Xi

The annual legislative session is usually the premier's time to take centre stage, opening the meetings with a state-of-the-union-style policy speech and capping the 10-day gathering with a televised press conference.

Xi Jinping (left) has overshadowed Li Keqiang. Photo: Reuters

CPPCC delegates slammed for promoting own companies

Delegates to China's top legislative and political advisory bodies have criticised tycoons who took advantage of the annual assemblies to lobby government support for their businesses.

President Xi Jinping's 'comprehensive' list fails to add up at China's National People's Congress

Cynics may scoff at China's ritualistic annual parliamentary session, saying that few questions of any real import arise as delegates' feel-good rhetoric dispels any gloom about the country's prospects.

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Breaking rank: military graft no longer taboo topic in China

Military corruption is being discussed at the parliamentary sessions in Beijing, with several PLA delegates conducting high-profile media interviews describing examples of misconduct in striking detail.

PLA delegates are breaking with the past to discuss corruption among the top brass. Photo: Simon Song
Poverty in China

China should no longer have poor counties within 15 years: top poverty alleviation official

Liu Yongfu, a top official on poverty alleviation, says China should have no more poor counties – at least by government standards – within 15 years

The Great Hall's red carpet puts Chinese officials' popularity to the test

Politicians walk red-carpet tightrope between coverage and controversy.

Details needed to join up the dots on Silk Road project

The central government is expected to ramp up efforts to link local governments with the ancient Silk Road.

The central government is expected to ramp up efforts to link local governments with the ancient Silk Road. Photo: Xinhua

China's US$40-billion Silk Road Fund will be driven by profit, says its chief

The Silk Road Fund will invest in projects that guarantee returns, its chairman said on Thursday amid concerns that it would be hard for the fund to yield profit because of high geopolitical and commercial uncertainties.

Jin Qi, chief executive of China's Silk Road Fund, says market-oriented principles would apply in the operation of the US$40 billion (HK$310 billion) fund. Photo: Simon Song

China's top court makes dealing with terror crimes its priority

The mainland convicted and sentenced 712 people for terrorism, separatism and related crimes last year, the top court said, adding that such offences were its top priority this year.

Jackie Chan refuses to give speech in front of journalists at political conference

‘Blasphemy!’ PLA band leader calls for tougher laws to protect the Chinese national anthem

A military band performing the national anthem during a session of the National People's Congress this month at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Xinhua

China’s top judge says nation must learn from innocent man’s execution

Zhou Qiang, president of Supreme People’s Court, says Huugjilt, 18 when killed by firing squad in 1996, found innocent nearly 20 years after execution for woman's rape and murder

Supreme court president Zhou Qiang (second from right) shakes hands with top prosecutor Cao Jianming yesterday. Photo: Simon Song

Shenzhen invested 64b yuan in fostering innovation, mayor says

More than 4 per cent of Shenzhen's GDP, or about 64 billion yuan (HK$80.46 billion), was invested in research and development last year, its mayor said yesterday.

Raising retirement age in China ‘unwise’, says expert at government think tank

An expert on China’s social security system has described the government’s plans to raise the retirement age to cope with the nation’s ageing population as unwise.

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