Smiles, a few words … China’s new premier makes his debut next to Xi Jinping

Li Qiang looked relaxed and comfortable as he addressed the opening ceremony of the legislative session
He appeared to have the approval of the president, with the pair making eye contact and exchanging words

Two Sessions 2024 (Lianghui)

Vanessa Caiin ShanghaiandJosephine Main Hong Kong

Published: 8:23pm, 5 Mar 2024

Why you can trust SCMP

The start of China’s annual legislative session on Tuesday was closely watched – not just for Premier Li Qiang’s address but for any clues it offered about the dynamics between the top leaders.

Chinese politics is opaque, so the body language of leaders and their interaction during these rare public occasions can speak volumes.

Li – who will not speak to the press at the end of this year’s session, breaking with a three-decade tradition for Chinese premiers – looked relaxed and comfortable as he delivered his first government work report in less than an hour at the National People’s Congress in Beijing.

That could be because he had the approval of the most important person in the room. After giving his speech, Li appeared to receive endorsement from Xi Jinping – the pair made eye contact and a smiling Li exchanged a few words with the president, who was seated beside him.

Later, Li had a longer discussion with the president, leaning forward attentively as they spoke, as the NPC vice-chairman addressed the meeting. The premier also had a brief exchange with Cai Qi, the president’s chief of staff, who was seated on his other side.

02:40

Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers his first work report amid concerns about state of the economy

It was quite a different story for Li’s predecessor, Li Keqiang, in recent years when there was minimal interaction with Xi during the NPC.

That came down to a brief handshake with Xi last year after Li Keqiang gave his final work report after 10 years in the job. The former premier died from a heart attack in October after retiring in March.

In another apparent endorsement on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi also received a personal greeting from Xi after the opening ceremony. Wang has returned to his former post after Qin Gang was sacked as foreign minister without explanation in July. An announcement last week said Qin – who has not been seen in public since June – had “resigned” from the NPC.

There were a few empty seats at the Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, with the NPC saying 84 deputies missed the opening. It is not known if that included Li Shangfu, the former defence minister who was removed from his post without explanation in October. An NPC spokesman on Monday said Li Shangfu was no longer a member.

Interactions between Chinese leaders are closely watched during public occasions. Photo: AP

In his address on Tuesday, the premier acknowledged the challenges facing the economy but sought to reassure about its future as he revealed an ambitious GDP growth target of 5 per cent.

He announced measures including the issue of 1 trillion yuan (US$139 billion) worth of ultra-long bonds to meet funding shortfalls, and pledged to defuse risks in the property sector and local government debt.

But the media will not hear any more from Li Qiang at this year’s legislative meeting – it was announced on Monday that the premier’s press conference will not be held at the end of the session for the first time in three decades.

The legislative session is also due to run for just over a week – shorter than in pre-pandemic years when the gathering lasted for more than two weeks.

Covid-19 tests are still mandatory for the media and security is tight, with some foreign diplomats saying they have not been allowed to take phones into the venue.

Additional reporting by Zhao Ziwen