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‘Two sessions’ 2021 bite-sized recap: Friday features Premier Li Keqiang, GDP, Hong Kong
- Beijing hosts annual meetings of legislature the NPC and advisory body the CPPCC
- Opening day of week-long NPC meeting includes premier’s progress report, Hong Kong’s electoral system and a ‘general’ GDP target
Friday’s highlights as thousands of National People’s Congress (NPC) deputies and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) members converge on Beijing’s Great Hall of the People for China’s largest annual political event.
Key address Premier Li Keqiang unveiled the government’s report on the past year’s progress and the year to come. Hong Kong, the military budget, carbon emissions and recent Covid-19 outbreaks were covered, and the new five-year plan was tabled. We covered it live.
In the spotlight Beijing’s stance on Hong Kong is a closely watched theme this year. Li said priorities included reforming the city’s electoral system and guarding against foreign interference. More here.
China’s ‘two sessions’ 2021: five things you need to know
China’s ‘two sessions’ 2021: five things you need to know
Masks off Most of the 2,953 NPC deputies wore masks, but exceptions were made for the front row, including President Xi Jinping, Li and the Communist Party’s supreme political body, the Politburo Standing Committee.
Dramatic stumble Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s leader from 1997 to 2005, tripped as he left the stage. Several people, including current Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, rushed to steady the 83-year-old, who was unhurt.
Stat of the day: ‘above 6 per cent’ Set as China’s “general target” for 2021 GDP growth. After several years between 6.5 and 7 per cent, and 2019’s 6 to 6.5 per cent, China broke from tradition in 2020 by not setting a target, as the coronavirus caused global economic havoc.
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