The BBC’s Stephen McDonell explains what to look out for at China’s annual National People’s Congress (NPC), which began on Wednesday.
The week-long meeting is attended by nearly 3,000 delegates from provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the armed forces. They usher through decisions that have already been made behind closed doors by party leaders.
Still, the meeting signals the priorities of the Chinese Communist Party for the coming year.
China’s slowing economy, its investment in high-end tech and the fallout from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs are all expected to be high on the agenda.