Annual parliament meeting begins in China, which will give Xi Jinping third term

The Chinese Parliament, subordinate to the Communist Party (CCP), begins its annual session on Sunday, in which the growth target and the 2023 military budget will be revealed and where Xi Jinping will confirm an unprecedented third presidential term.

The nearly 3,000 representatives of the National People’s Assembly (ANP) who attend have been elected thanks to a very indirect vote and in which only a tiny part of the Chinese have participated.

As every year, few surprises are expected at this carefully orchestrated nine-day event in which laws previously approved by the CCP, the highest body of power in the Asian superpower, will be voted on.

On the agenda is in particular the approval of a third five-year term for Xi Jinping, who in October was already ratified as General Secretary of the CCP.

The 69-year-old leader has faced some obstacles in recent months, such as the demonstrations at the end of November against his “zero covid” policy and later, a wave of deaths after the abandonment of this criticized public health strategy.

These sensitive issues will probably not be debated in the parliamentary session in which Li Qiang, a former CCP head of Shanghai and a politician close to Xi Jinping, is expected to be appointed as the new prime minister.

Security

Security was reinforced in Beijing in recent days in anticipation of the event, with controls at the entrance to the capital and security agents on streets and bridges.

Despite the fact that the “zero covid” policy has damaged his image, Xi maintains a “quite strong” position in the party leadership, making him almost untouchable, considers Alfred Muluan Wu, a professor at the National University of Singapore.

For Steve Tsang, from the SOAS China Institute at London University, Xi Jinping will have the opportunity during this parliamentary session to defend his management of popular discontent at the end of November.

“He acted decisively when, during the demonstrations, there were calls for him and the CCP to leave. He quelled them and suppressed the reason” for outrage, Tsang told AFP.

So “you can present yourself as a leader and not as someone pushed to react,” he stresses.

It is also expected that, during the opening of the parliamentary session on Sunday, around 9:00 local time (01:00 GMT), the GDP growth target for 2023 will be announced, in a government activity report presented by the prime minister. outgoing, Li Keqiang.

A group of economists questioned by the AFP believe on average that it will be around 5.3 percent.

complex challenges

In 2022, China’s GDP grew by just 3%, one of the lowest numbers in decades, due to multiple factors such as the covid-19 epidemic, lockdowns, and a real estate crisis.

The Defense budget will also be announced on Sunday. No one doubts that there will be a rise compared to the previous year, and the new figure will be closely watched by the countries of the region and the United States.

“The increase in defense spending is necessary to respond to complex security challenges. It is also necessary (for China) to fulfill its obligations” as a great power, justified this Saturday during a press conference Wang Chao, spokesman for the ANP.

The deputies will also address political, economic and social issues as diverse as the birth rate, animal welfare, sex education, online harassment or the relationship with Taiwan.