Liu Jieyi, spokesperson for the second session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 3, 2024. The CPPCC National Committee, China's top political advisory body, held a press conference on Sunday, one day ahead of its annual session. [Photo/Xinhua])
Sunday March 3, 2024
TPA Watchman
BEIJING: The Two Sessions comprising the CPPCC and the NPC – marking China’s apex political season – starts Monday 4th March 2024 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and will go on for six days until the morning of 10th March.
The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) held a Press Conference today (Sunday March 3) ahead of the start of the top political advisory body’s annual season.
Over 3000 Chinese and foreign journalists applied to cover this year’s Two Sessions. Spokesperson for the second session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee, Liu Jieyi told the Press that the agenda items include to hear and deliberate on the work report of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and the report on proposals; to sit in on the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC; to hear and deliberate on the government work report and other work reports; to deliberate and adopt other work resolutions of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.
The session will also summarise last year’s work of the National Committee and make plans for this year. Liu also answered questions from domestic and foreign media on a host of issues.
These revolved around the state of the economy; political consultation that informs policy development; youth employment and the tangible benefits brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI).
Liu Jieyi Deputy Secretary General and Spokesperson for the second session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee explained that this year marks the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China and of the CPPCC.
Liu said that 2023 is the first year to fully implement the guiding principles of the party’s (Communist Party of China) 20th Congress and also when the 14th CPPCC National Committee begun discharging its duties.
He said that over the past year, guided by Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for the New Era, and keenly aware of the significance of the two establishments, the CPPCC has enhanced confidence on its core fronts and carried out democratic oversight.
The economy has been a priority in CPPCC consultations. Liu said they withstood external pressures and was happy that economy saw recovery, and made solid gains in high quality development. It also showed strong resilience, and great vitality going forward.
According to Liu public consumption is showing signs of being a strong driver to economic development. He said that during 2023 the CPPCC applied its research inputs in various sectors of the economy.
On consultative democracy, Liu said that CPPCC advocates for socialist consultative democracy, as proven by the diversified forms of consultations that it held led by National Committee planners.
Employment of the young people especially young graduates is of interest to CPPCC and the committee has taken a host of measures to advance jobs and start-ups. Liu said that some 12, 44 million urban jobs were added last year (2023).
He said the National Committee will take further steps in stabilising employment environment in 2024. On the Belt & Road Initiative, he said that 2023 marked the 10th Anniversary of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind and Belt & Road Initiative put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping.
In the past decade, China has signed 240 cooperative documents on B&RI with 150 countries, which led to more people benefitting from policy, infrastructure, trade and financial cooperation through B&RI.
(C) TPA
