‘Absolute loyalty’ top priority as China readies security for crucial legislative meetings

Top security official Chen Wenqing sets priorities ahead of all-important ‘two sessions’
State media gives top marks for party’s achievements under Xi Jinping

Two Sessions 2023 (Lianghui)

Phoebe Zhang

Published: 8:30pm, 7 Feb 2023

Why you can trust SCMP

China’s top law enforcement official has begun security preparations for the “two sessions” – the annual plenary meetings of China’s top legislature and top political advisory body – with a call for political loyalty in his first meeting after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Chen Wenqing, head of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, a party body that oversees all security-related matters, said at a meeting on Monday that party-led political and legal organisations must be disciplined, show “absolute loyalty” to the party, and be “highly consistent” with the leadership of President Xi Jinping, according to a report by Xinhua.

Who will take on China’s biggest economic challenges?

The meeting stressed that cadres must improve their abilities to “maintain social and political stability, especially political security”, handle conflicts under the law and promote investigations and strengthen political study and professional training.

The two sessions, which will be held in March, will see new people take over some top posts, including the premier, several key ministerial posts, the head of the legislature, and the head of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

Xi is also set to kick off his third presidential term during the two sessions, the first Chinese leader to do so in decades.

State media has started rolling out articles brimming with conviction over a new beginning.

04:43

China's slow road to economic recovery after dropping its zero-Covid policies

“2023 is the first year to implement the essence of the 20th party congress,” read an article published on the front page of Tuesday’s People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official mouthpiece.

“To display full confidence in the new march is important in building a socialist modern country.”

The opinion piece lavished praise on the achievements of the party under Xi’s leadership, adding that his position ensured development for the party and the country in a new era.

Referring to economic data released last month that showed China’s GDP grew just 3 per cent in 2022, the article said that stable employment, increasing domestic consumption and higher grain yields proved that Xi had led the country successfully over the past 10 years.

IMF expects China’s economy to grow 5.2 per cent this year

The article also gave high marks to Xi for his achievements in poverty relief and the fight against Covid-19 amid “domestic and international challenges”.

“Under the strong leadership of the party Central Committee with comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era … we will be able to ensure that the whole party and the whole country will be united, confident and have the majestic strength to overcome difficulties together,” it said.