IN FOCUS
By N Jayaram

China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) session 2022: Major Takeaways

About the NPC & CPPCC: A brief note
China’s parliament –the National People’s Congress (NPC), consisting of about 3,000 members, meets once a year for a few days in March, with just two plenary sessions: the opening and closing.

Those who have covered it regularly could testify that the first day’s session tends to be more of a fancy-dress display: The current territory of the People’s Republic of China has peoples of various ethnicities with their traditional dresses in provinces such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi Zhuang and Chinese-occupied Tibet, East Turkestan (or what Beijing calls Xinjiang) and Southern Mongolia (Inner Mongolia) etc.

Vehicles drop delegates flown in from the provinces and Chinese-occupied regions on the vast Tiananmen Square, just east of the Great Hall of the People. And as the delegates walk towards the building, much photographing and videoing gets done. This get posted on state-run media and occasionally picked up by international media, although sections of the latter have over the decades gotten wise to the cynical exercise.

Along with the NPC, another body known as the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an equally toothless body of more than 2,000 members meeting – and dining lavishly – in the cavernous Great Hall over the same few days. The NPC-CPPCC once-a-year meetings are known as “liang-hui” or “two sessions” and are the highlight of the political calendar, although much of the actual law-making and ordinance-issuing is done by an organ known as the NPC Standing Committee, needless to say dictated to by the ruling party apparat.

Once inside and following the usual ceremonies, the most important item tends to be the so-called ‘Government Work Report’ presented by the Premier (Prime Minister).

The NCP and CPPCC sessions in 2022
First, the Premier Li Keqiang did the honours, as usual, this year too. Incidentally, the Chinese ruling party celebrated its centenary on July 1 last year with a huge military hardware display in Beijing.

Second, on economy. Li projected a 5.5 percent economic growth target, a rather conservative one, given that China’s GDP has been growing at a much faster pace since at least the 1980s. There was a nod to poverty-alleviation and building of a ‘moderately prosperous society’. Last year's urban unemployment was projected at about 5.5% and Li envisaged creating 11 million urban jobs this year.

Li unveiled plans for major R&D rises in order to close the supply gap in innovation with a stress on quantum computing, 5G communications and development of electric vehicles. Given how polluted Beijing and many other Chinese cities are, there was the expected promise on attention to promotion of ‘clean’ energy.

Third, on defense. Defense spending is to rise by 7.1 percent. Given that the so-called People’s Liberation Army is a vast economy in itself – controlling as it does large numbers of factories, and other revenue yielding entities including hotels and dance halls – the defense budget figures are a mere tip of the iceberg.

Fourth, on technology. Li unveiled a technological blueprint was laid out for the next five years, stating that “innovation remains at the heart of China’s modernization drive.” He also envisaged decarbonizing China and achieving 2030/2060 climate goals, noting that “action plans” for achieving peak carbon emissions by the late 2020s were on the cards.

Fifth on HK and Macau. Premier Li asserted that Hong Kong and Macau – whose ability to govern themselves has been decimated – would be allowed autonomy or what passes for it now but added “we will resolutely defend against and deter foreign interference”. Which assumed that the clamour for democracy that had been reverberating in Hong Kong over the past several decades was not indigenous.  

Sixth, on leadership. A wholly unexpected development during a press conference at this year’s session was Premier Li’s announcement that he would retire at the end of his current term.

Now, it was a given that after two terms, Li simply had to retire, as per the succession plan the patriarch Deng Xiaoping had put in place starting from the late 1970s and 1980s: Two terms for the General Secretary of the ‘Communist Party of China’ – which has been pursuing robber-baron capitalism since the late 1970s and more officially since the early 1990s – and two terms for the state president and everyone else in the top leadership.

This two-term arrangement had been – grudgingly, perhaps – respected by everyone until recently: There had been some talk of Jiang Zemin, the post-1989 Deng appointee as Party General Secretary and state president having been reluctant to give up the post, which also goes with chairmanship of the Central Military Commission of both the Party and the state, but that was taken care of eventually.

The current President and Party General Secretary Xi Jinping – arguably the most authoritarian leader China has seen since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976 ­– has made it clear that he would seek a third term. In 2018, the NPC scrapped the two-term limit for China’s presidency, clearing the way for Xi to cling to power for as long as he wishes. During Xi’s term as president, Li Keqiang has played a minor number two role, unlike his predecessors such as Wen Jiabao, Zhu Rongji, Li Peng and Zhou Enlai.

Was Li Keqiang’s announcement of retirement a way of his – and perhaps some of his Party colleagues’ – airing dissent over Xi Jinping’s extended one-person rule?

Altogether, it has been an eventful NPC session, in the shadow of the continuing Covid and Ukraine crises and speculation over the Xi regime’s continuing “wolf-warrior” diplomacy and designs on Taiwan, not to mention tensions with India.

IN BRIEF
By Keerthana Nambiar and Dincy Adlakha

TECHNOLOGY
Space: Team of researchers achieve new heights in laser imaging technology
On 16 March, South China Morning Post reported that a team of military scientists in China had achieved a breakthrough in laser imaging technology. The new-found technology would help ground stations in identifying and tracking a target in space at a much more accurate scale. The research was conducted at National Defence Technology University and was headed by Professor Han Fei in the Anhui province. The team of researchers claimed that the technology could be used to remove small pieces of hazardous space debris by guiding laser beams. The technology can also be used to take images of thumb-sized objects in near-Earth orbit with a resolution of 0.1 inches. (“Chinese scientists hail space radar breakthrough,” South China Morning Post, 16 March 2022)

INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine: China urges US to act responsibly and ease the situation
On 15 March, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian urged the US to make concrete efforts to ease the situation in Ukraine. He said at a daily briefing that “the US creates and spreads disinformation from time to time, and such actions are unprofessional, unethical and irresponsible. They will only cause the US to be further discredited in the world.” He urged the US to deeply reflect on its role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and take concrete steps to resolve the matter. He also displayed unpleasantness over the allegations made by an unnamed US official on China for supporting Russia in war. (“China urges U.S. to take concrete actions to ease situation in Ukraine,” Xinhua Net, 15 March 2022)

Ukraine: China denies being involved in Ukraine war, opposes sanctions
On 15 March, The Strait Times reported on a phone call between Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councilor Wang Yi and Spanish Counterpart Jose Manuel Albares Bueno. During the phone call, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi clarified that China is not a party in the Ukraine war and does not want any sanctions to affect its interests. He also said that China is promoting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in its way since the very beginning of the conflict. He said: “China has the right to safeguard its legitimate and lawful rights and interests.” (“China is not party to Ukraine war and does not want sanctions to hurt it: Foreign Minister Wang Yi,” The Straits Times, 15 March 2022)

EU: China encourages EU to build security systems with Russia and warns of “external interference”
On 15 March, Global Times reported recent remarks by China’s permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun that the EU should consider rebuilding an “indivisible” security mechanism with Russia. He maintained that the Ukraine crisis has brought into light the weak security in Europe which is excessively vulnerable to external interference, especially from the US superpower. Similar remarks made by President Xi Jinping and China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi reflect that China finds the US-led security bloc NATO as the major European security mechanism problematic. China urges Europe to look for a more secure bond within itself which includes Russia. (Yang Sheng, “China encourages Europe to build 'indivisible security' mechanism with Russia,” Global Times, 15 March 2022)

Netherlands: Wang Yi discusses Ukraine with the Foreign Minister
On 15 March, the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephonic conversation with the Dutch and Iranian officials separately. The Dutch Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra discussed the current situation in Eastern Europe with Wang Yi. The Chinese State Councilor reiterated the “four musts” highlighted by President Xi Jinping’s on the issue. They are: “China maintains that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be fully observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported.” (“Chinese, Dutch FMs hold phone talks,” Xinhua Net, 16 March 2022)

Iran: Wang Yi holds a telephonic call with the Foreign Minister
On 15 March, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a telephonic  conversation with the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. Wang Yi expressed China’s position on the JCPOA and said: “China always supports an early agreement on resuming compliance with the nuclear deal, and is open to and supportive of efforts to this end. The Chinese side understands Iran's legitimate concerns, supports Iran in safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests, and opposes unilateral sanctions that have no basis in international law.” Abdollahian congratulated China for the successful completion of the two sessions and clarified Iran’s stance on the nuclear deal. He expressed Iran’s readiness in returning to the negotiating table at the earliest to resolve the issues. (Chinese, Iranian FMs hold phone talks,” Xinhua Net, 16 March 2022)

Yemen: Chinese representative to the UN seeks a diplomatic solution to the war 
On 15 March, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Dai Bing called on the members to work towards a diplomatic solution to the war in Yemen. Bing said: “The seven-year-old war has brought irreparable harm to the people of Yemen and caused immeasurable losses to national development.” He insisted on a Yemeni-led peace process and pointed to the failures of the military approach in bringing peace to the region. He also expressed China’s appreciation for the UN Special Envoy for Yemen’s recent efforts in conducting consultations on the political, security and economic issues in Yemen. (“Chinese envoy calls for diplomatic solution to Yemen crisis,” Xinhua Net, 16 March 2022)