China's Two Sessions to reveal Xi's economic and defence plans as military purge casts shadow

"The NPC is the forum in which the government releases its annual work report, outlining goals for the year ahead, including the GDP growth target, which this year is expected to drop below 5% for the first time. But this year's session is also particularly important because it marks the official launch of the 15th five-year plan, the economic planning document that outlines Beijing's priorities for 2026-2030."

"Of the two gatherings, the NPC, China's legislature, is more important. It has the power to amend the constitution, appoint people to political offices, enact laws and approve the budget. In 2018 it was at the NPC that amended China's constitution to scrap term limits for the president, and in 2023 it was the NPC that subsequently elected Xi Jinping to that office for an unprecedented third term."

"However, in modern China, the Chinese Communist party (CCP) is more powerful than any organ of the state, and the NPC is in effect a rubber-stamp parliament, having never voted down any item on its agenda. The real decision-making is done by the CCP at separate meetings."

China's Two Sessions, comprising the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), represent the country's most significant annual political events. The NPC functions as China's legislature with constitutional amendment, appointment, lawmaking, and budget approval powers, though it operates as a rubber-stamp parliament under CCP control. This year's sessions are particularly significant as they mark the official launch of the 15th five-year plan covering 2026-2030, outlining Beijing's economic priorities. The government will release its annual work report with the GDP growth target expected to drop below 5% for the first time. Beyond routine annual planning, these sessions will establish broader strategic direction for navigating geopolitical and technological challenges ahead.

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