Two Sessions in a Crucial Year
Shorter length didn’t stop the “two sessions” from fulfilling major tasks on the agenda.
The third session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the third session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), usually dubbed the “two sessions,” finally kicked off on May 22 and May 21, respectively, in Beijing after being postponed over two months due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Socially Distanced Sessions
Although China has made remarkable progress in its battle against the epidemic to the point of there being only a handful of new cases in a couple of cities in May, the picture around the world still looks grim. Total global victory is not in sight, and China still faces mounting pressure from imported cases.
Travel restrictions have been lifted in most parts of the country, but prevention and control measures are still in place. China has been cautiously working to avoid a possible second wave of infection that the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned about.
In this context, the two sessions were held with special arrangements. With the duration of both cut to one week and strict measures on social distancing and isolation imposed for participants, the two sessions were held at the original scale, attended by 2,897 NPC deputies and 2,057 CPPCC members, all wearing masks.
Participants paid silent tribute before the sessions to the martyrs and compatriots who fell to the epidemic.
Media events related to the two sessions such as press conferences and interviews of NPC deputies, CPPCC members, and ministers were moved online. Giant screens separated journalists and speakers, and the journalists asked questions