TWO SESSIONS:BEFORE AND AFTER

Xi Jinping is elected Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China at the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 17.

From March 3-20, the annual “two sessions” of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC),the top political advisory body, were held in Beijing. Some 5,000 NPC deputies and CPPCC members from across the country gathered in the Great Hall of the People to deliberate and vote on submitted proposals.Propositions of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the will of the state and the aspirations of the people were tightly fused as sound voices reverberating through the conference halls, drawing worldwide focus to what may change in China after the political meetings.

When addressing the closing meeting of the first session of the 13th NPC, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made a nationwide call: “We should ride the mighty driving force of the new era with full steam, steady helmsmanship and strong morale. The giant steamer of the Chinese nation bearing the great dreams of the 1.3-billionplus Chinese people will continue overcoming difficulties and forging ahead. We have set sail for a long voyage into a future full of hope!”

Alongside landmark decisions and moves such as constitutional amendments, reform of the national supervisory system, institutional restructuring of the State Council and elections of new state leadership and the CPPCC National Committee, the meetings also discussed measures to improve living standards including housing, urban environment, public health, education and food security.