SCMP Explains: The ‘two sessions’ – China’s most important political meetings of the year

China normally holds its most important annual political meetings in March, when the top political advisory body and national legislature gather. But in 2020, the meetings were postponed to May 22, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Although the “two sessions” take place only days apart on the political calendar, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Congress (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (NPC) are two very distinct gatherings.
Here’s a closer look at how the two sessions, known as lianghui in Chinese, shape the nation’s policies.