The president's name appeared 16 times in the government report delivered by the premier, Li Qiang, the No 2 leader, reportedly more than in any other year since Xi took office more than a decade ago. Li was clear in noting that credit for China's achievements in 2023 was owed to Xi and to "the sound guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" - Xi's ideological doctrine.
Journalists registered at this year's Two Sessions - the first to be fully open to the media since the pandemic outnumbered the delegates, but engagement with the press was limited and choreographed. The last day of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Monday, which had been running since 5 March, is normally a chance for the media to meet China's premier, though this year Li's press conference was abruptly cancelled, closing down one of China's already limited forums for transparency. Media conferences, including with Wang Yi, the top foreign affairs official, largely consisted of scripted answers.
This story is from the March 13, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the March 13, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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