https://www.scmp.com/rss/520793/feed “Two Sessions” refers to China's annual parliamentary meetings, where the nation's two main political bodies - the National People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) - reveal plans for China's policies involving the economy, military, trade, diplomacy, the environment and more. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Neil Denslow Neil Denslow This year’s ‘two sessions’, China’s biggest annual political gathering, featured the announcement of the lowest GDP growth target in decades and official approval for the 15th five-year plan. SCMP Plus hosted a webinar to discuss these developments with three experts from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis. Other topics included the upcoming US-China presidential summit, President Xi Jinping’s purge of the military and efforts to reshape the economy. The panel... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/article/3346449/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:18:50 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s executive-led governance model has long been a cornerstone of the constitutional design. Its relevance was again highlighted when China’s state leader in charge of the city’s affairs stressed the “shared responsibility” across government branches and society as a whole to uphold the principle and prepare for the next stage of development under the new five-year national plan. Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang is the most senior official yet to shed light on the city’s governance. He said... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345749/vital-consolidate-executive-led-system-hong-kongs-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345749/vital-consolidate-executive-led-system-hong-kongs-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 23:15:12 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China has signalled strong optimism for finalising negotiations with neighbouring Asian countries to seal a new institutional framework on contested South China Sea waterways. At China’s annual foreign policy press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the negotiations as having entered a “critical phase” for talks on the South China Sea Code of Conduct – a proposed set of rules between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) aimed at easing tensions. “All... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345879/china-signals-high-hopes-south-china-sea-golden-rules-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345879/china-signals-high-hopes-south-china-sea-golden-rules-end-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:41:37 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang Kerry Brown is professor of Chinese studies at King’s College, London, whose research focuses on Chinese elite politics and its diplomatic strategies. Brown lived in the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia between 1994 and 1996 and worked as a British diplomat in Beijing from 1998 to 2005 and served as the first secretary in Beijing from 2000 to 2003. After moving back to Britain, he directed the Europe China Research and Advice Network, a three-year project that started in 2011 to provide... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3306329/china-may-be-stunned-trumps-lack-caution-and-understanding-ex-diplomat-kerry-brown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3306329/china-may-be-stunned-trumps-lack-caution-and-understanding-ex-diplomat-kerry-brown?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Apr 2025 22:00:19 +0000 This latest interview in the Open Questions series features Kerry Brown, who has served as first secretary in the British Embassy in Beijing and in other diplomatic roles. A professor of Chinese studies and director of the Lau China Institute at King’s College, London, Brown lived for two years in Inner Mongolia. He discusses how Beijing has been girding for the trade war with the US, which is becoming an escalation of “face”, and says China’s innovations in AI and other scientific advancements... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3305953/why-trumps-trade-war-could-fuel-chinas-ascent-global-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3305953/why-trumps-trade-war-could-fuel-chinas-ascent-global-power?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:28:45 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Beijing’s top man in Hong Kong sought to reassure local officials and political elites that the financial hub would remain “the safest” in times of “a chaotic world”, as he briefed them on the spirit of the country’s annual parliamentary sessions on Thursday, the Post has learned. Zheng Yanxiong, director of the central government’s liaison office, spoke to more than 320 attendees about the significance of the “two sessions” for the city at the government’s headquarters in a closed-door session... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3305135/beijings-top-man-hong-kong-says-city-remains-safest-chaotic-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3305135/beijings-top-man-hong-kong-says-city-remains-safest-chaotic-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:50:08 +0000 The annual “two sessions” in Beijing, a crucial window into China’s policy priorities and economic trajectory, continue to draw significant Western media scrutiny. However, a subtle yet perceptible shift appears to be under way – a tempering of harsh criticism alongside a sustained analytical focus. My colleagues and I conducted a content analysis of major Western news outlets, tracking the frequency of keywords related to China’s economy, technology and environment between 2019 and 2025;... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302803/chinas-economic-successes-are-reshaping-western-media-narrative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302803/chinas-economic-successes-are-reshaping-western-media-narrative?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 This latest interview in the Open Questions series features Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management and a non-resident senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. An expert on China’s financial markets, Pettis discusses China’s need to dial down its investment-oriented growth model and focus on raising the share of GDP for households. The author of books including Trade War is Class War and Avoiding the Fall: China’s Economic... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303124/how-trade-war-has-spread-beyond-us-china-and-changing-us-dollar-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3303124/how-trade-war-has-spread-beyond-us-china-and-changing-us-dollar-role?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 06:00:32 +0000 Beijing is getting ready to host 80 foreign business leaders this weekend at the China Development Forum, and a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping may be on the cards for at least some of the participants. According to a list of confirmed attendees seen by the South China Morning Post, perennial CDF attendees Tim Cook and Stephen Schwarzman of Apple and Blackstone, respectively, will be in Beijing to attend the March 22-24 forum along with 23 other representatives from US-headquartered... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302937/foreign-ceos-gather-beijing-and-could-meet-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302937/foreign-ceos-gather-beijing-and-could-meet-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 09:01:52 +0000 During a visit to the southwestern province of Guizhou – one of China’s poorest and most indebted areas – President Xi Jinping called for the region to undertake an accelerated economic transition, improve its business climate and better integrate with the country’s other local economies. The president's inspection tour to the mountainous province on Monday and Tuesday – his first after the conclusion of the annual legislative session – also represents a commitment to maintain the country's... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302928/chinas-xi-jinping-calls-economic-transition-guizhou-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302928/chinas-xi-jinping-calls-economic-transition-guizhou-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 03:07:47 +0000 In the season of China’s annual “two sessions” meetings, what remains unsaid often carries more weight than what is openly declared. When President Xi Jinping met privately with China’s top entrepreneurs in Beijing last month to offer lip service in support of the private sector, the implicit message was clear, if subtle: China’s state-dominated economic model has hit a wall. Premier Li Qiang’s repeated exhortation to pull out all the stops and his call for bureaucrats to be relentless... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302790/what-was-unsaid-chinas-two-sessions-and-why-it-matters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302790/what-was-unsaid-chinas-two-sessions-and-why-it-matters?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 While China has left its official growth target unchanged at around 5 per cent, the tone of the work report from this year’s “two sessions” was different. The balance has shifted from a standard recapitulation of notable accomplishments to an unusually candid assessment of the multiplicity of problems that China now faces. This was buried in the middle of a long report prepared by China’s National Development and Reform Commission, which emphasised “the negative impact of the external... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302345/china-knows-economic-challenges-lie-ahead-it-ready-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302345/china-knows-economic-challenges-lie-ahead-it-ready-them?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Since 2023, as China’s economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic has shown protracted weakness, a “Peak China” theory has emerged and reached its zenith during the second and third quarter of 2024. On September 26 last year, President Xi Jinping chaired an unexpected meeting of the Communist Party’s Politburo to discuss economic work. After the meeting, the government enacted a series of stimulus policies aimed at addressing the causes of the country’s economic downturn. This was confirmed by... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302350/adhering-reforms-can-help-beijing-pop-peak-china-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3302350/adhering-reforms-can-help-beijing-pop-peak-china-bubble?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:30:08 +0000 With the recent conclusion of the annual week-long meetings of China’s top legislature and advisory body, the South China Morning Post partnered with the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis to host a webinar to unpack key takeaways, their impact on the economic landscape, politics and what to expect in US-China relations. The Post’s executive editor Chow Chung-yan moderated the discussion with the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis fellow on Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302375/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302375/two-sessions-webinar?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 09:06:22 +0000 China’s central bank said on Thursday that it was looking into creating more structural tools to support innovation, domestic consumption and exporters, as it strives to help the Chinese economy ride out a period of heightened global uncertainty. Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), also reiterated pledges to cut interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for commercial banks to boost economic growth during the meeting. Meanwhile, the bank will keep the yuan... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302312/chinas-central-bank-create-more-tools-shore-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302312/chinas-central-bank-create-more-tools-shore-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 02:22:15 +0000 Last Wednesday, the leaders of the world’s two greatest powers laid out starkly different visions for their countries. The outcomes of these conflicting doctrines may impact the global balance of power and even settle a centuries-old debate on economics and public governance. In Washington, US President Donald Trump, in his first address to Congress of his second term, gave a speech that would please the followers of his 1980s predecessor Ronald Reagan or free-market economist Milton Friedman –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3302121/can-trump-and-chinas-contrasting-economic-visions-finally-settle-state-vs-market-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3302121/can-trump-and-chinas-contrasting-economic-visions-finally-settle-state-vs-market-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:14 +0000 The possibility that China could levy controversial estate and gift taxes on the public has returned to the limelight, illuminated by a motion that lawmakers submitted to the country’s top legislature during the recently concluded “two sessions” parliamentary gatherings. Guo Shuqing, a veteran politician with an illustrious career spanning the state planning agency, central bank, and securities and banking regulatory commissions, is one of the National People’s Congress (NPC) deputies jointly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302244/will-chinas-death-tax-cometh-soon-or-late-lawmakers-have-wealth-redistribution-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302244/will-chinas-death-tax-cometh-soon-or-late-lawmakers-have-wealth-redistribution-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:00:09 +0000 This latest interview in the Open Questions series features Robin Xing, chief China economist at Morgan Stanley, where he leads macro and foreign exchange research on China. Xing, who has written extensively on China’s long-term economic outlook, says it will take more than tech “dragons” to fire up the economy and discusses the “impossible trinity” that Beijing faces. An expert in topics including China’s capital flows and its supply chain transition, Xing says he uses “three Rs” to measure... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302169/tech-driven-optimism-china-wont-fix-economic-ills-morgan-stanley-economist-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302169/tech-driven-optimism-china-wont-fix-economic-ills-morgan-stanley-economist-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:52:07 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao / https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302227/two-sessions-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302227/two-sessions-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 08:29:22 +0000 Premier Li Qiang has urged officials to pull out all the stops in a race to achieve China’s major goals laid out during the past week’s “two sessions” meetings, such as maintaining an economic growth rate of around 5 per cent. “We must refine measures and speed up their implementation, race against time amid various uncertainties, and work quickly and proactively,” Li said at a meeting of the State Council on Wednesday, a day after China’s top legislative and consultative bodies concluded their... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302187/race-against-time-sees-premier-li-put-all-chinese-officials-notice-amid-uncertainties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3302187/race-against-time-sees-premier-li-put-all-chinese-officials-notice-amid-uncertainties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 06:00:13 +0000 China’s annual legislature and top advisory body sessions wrapped up this week after laying out a clear path for the year ahead, despite tensions stemming from the rivalry with the United States. The top leaders and policymakers set a growth target of around 5 per cent. To achieve this, they sent a strong signal that technology must be leveraged for healthier growth. There also were pledges for a more proactive fiscal policy and support for the private sector. In each of these objectives, Hong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3302139/opportunities-knock-hong-kong-role-national-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3302139/opportunities-knock-hong-kong-role-national-development?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 00:15:08 +0000 China’s third most senior official, Zhao Leji, has reappeared in public after missing the end of the country’s main political event due to ill health. Zhao, the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), met state media employees in Beijing on Wednesday to thank them for their coverage of the annual legislative session. Zhao, 68, missed Tuesday’s NPC closing ceremony because of a respiratory tract infection and left his deputy, Li Hongzhong, to preside over the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302124/chinas-no-3-zhao-leji-returns-public-spotlight-after-missing-end-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302124/chinas-no-3-zhao-leji-returns-public-spotlight-after-missing-end-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 12:53:58 +0000 The most striking part of the final day of China’s annual week-long meetings of top legislators and political advisers on Tuesday was what was missing. Namely, the country’s No 3 official, Zhao Leji, who chairs the National People’s Congress, was absent for the last few days of the ‘two sessions’, and one of the most-awaited pieces of legislation that had previously been expected to passed by the NPC wasn’t up for consideration. Zhao, 68, took leave because of a “respiratory tract infection”,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302027/chinas-two-sessions-ends-note-intrigue-otherwise-delivers-expected-outcomes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3302027/chinas-two-sessions-ends-note-intrigue-otherwise-delivers-expected-outcomes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 09:00:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese lawmakers and political advisers have urged the country’s education system to make quick changes to cope with challenges brought by artificial intelligence and a rapidly greying population. These suggestions echoed remarks made by President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the “two sessions”, the annual meetings of China’s top legislature and political advisory body. Xi said on Thursday that China’s education system must change to produce the scientific talent needed for the country’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302024/china-urged-prepare-students-challenges-ai-and-ageing-population?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302024/china-urged-prepare-students-challenges-ai-and-ageing-population?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:00:13 +0000 We have put together stories from our coverage of China’s ‘two sessions’ this year to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. 8 takeaways from Premier Li Qiang’s work report at China’s ‘two sessions’ 2. China pledges to spend more an hour before Donald Trump promises to cut back 3. 8 takeaways from China’s top diplomat Wang Yi at the ‘two sessions’ 4. Why was China’s No 3 official Zhao Leji missing at the end of ‘two sessions’? 5.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302017/chinas-two-sessions-2025-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302017/chinas-two-sessions-2025-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 04:15:07 +0000 US President Donald Trump’s penchant for shaking things up is fracturing the Global North. The Global South must remain steadfast in its commitment to peaceful development and seize this moment to advance a more equitable and just global order. One of the central focuses of last week’s “two sessions”, China’s annual parliamentary meetings, is the increasingly prominent role of private technology companies in driving the country’s development. Indeed, a decade after the launch of the “Made in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3301538/how-global-south-can-rise-above-fray-west-fractures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3301538/how-global-south-can-rise-above-fray-west-fractures?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen Beijing is poised to add more detailed measures to its draft private economy promotion law, after last month’s second review of the proposed legislation by lawmakers sparked wider discussions on market entry and enforcement issues, analysts said. The drafting of the law began last year as the Chinese authorities made the revitalisation of domestic dynamism a priority. However, it was not deliberated over or passed at the annual session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) – the country’s top... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301936/further-tweaks-expected-chinas-draft-private-sector-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301936/further-tweaks-expected-chinas-draft-private-sector-promotion-law?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 11:00:12 +0000 Natalie Wong,Willa Wu Natalie Wong,Willa Wu Hong Kong’s representatives to China’s top legislature have collectively submitted a proposal to set up a scheme to help mainlanders buy properties in the city through direct remittance. This suggestion, along with another to promote carbon trading in Hong Kong, was endorsed by all 35 local deputies of the National People’s Congress (NPC) on Tuesday as the annual political meetings known as the “two sessions” drew to a close in Beijing. Starry Lee Wai-king, the sole Hong Kong member of the NPC... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301965/hong-kong-npc-deputies-propose-scheme-help-mainland-talent-buy-flats-more-easily?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301965/hong-kong-npc-deputies-propose-scheme-help-mainland-talent-buy-flats-more-easily?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:59:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP The meetings of China’s top legislature and advisory body opened on March 5 with the country facing economic uncertainty at home and heightened geopolitical tensions abroad. The annual gathering – collectively referred to as the “two sessions” – provides an opportunity to gain critical insight into the nation’s direction for the coming year and beyond. To give readers a better understanding of how China’s leaders are addressing the country’s challenges, the SCMP newsroom has partnered with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301952/webinar-two-sessions-2025-key-takeaways-insights-chinas-economic-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301952/webinar-two-sessions-2025-key-takeaways-insights-chinas-economic-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 10:40:49 +0000 For the first time in recent history, the chairman of China’s top legislative body was absent on Tuesday at the closing of its parliamentary meeting known as the “two sessions”. Zhao Leji, 68, the third most senior official and the chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC), had taken leave because of a “respiratory tract infection”, according to his deputy, Li Hongzhong, who presided over the closing ceremony instead. Zhao’s last public appearance was at the first meeting of the NPC... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301905/absence-chinas-third-top-official-two-sessions-closing-raises-eyebrows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301905/absence-chinas-third-top-official-two-sessions-closing-raises-eyebrows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 07:02:08 +0000 China has consolidated its energy security through a targeted strategy of diversifying imports, and US President Donald Trump’s embrace of fossil fuel production with a “drill, baby, drill” mentality could serve to lower global prices – potentially good news for China as the world’s largest importer of crude and natural gas – according to an influential energy expert in Beijing. Meanwhile, Beijing should take actions to address an uneven distribution of energy resources in the domestic market,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301830/chinas-energy-supply-quite-secure-amid-diversified-imports-expert-contends?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301830/chinas-energy-supply-quite-secure-amid-diversified-imports-expert-contends?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 02:00:12 +0000 China has a formidable reputation for meeting its economic growth targets. In each of the past two years, despite challenges, the 5 per cent GDP target has been achieved. This year’s has also been set at around 5 per cent. But where will the growth come from? China’s economy certainly has the potential to grow faster. The economic fundamentals have improved: the property market looks to be either near its bottom or already bottoming out. Households savings have risen so much that personal bank... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3301332/how-will-china-achieve-its-5-growth-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3301332/how-will-china-achieve-its-5-growth-target?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Since late February, the employees of DJI – China’s premier drone maker – have conducted an unusual nightly ritual. At precisely 9pm, human resource managers fan out across its Shenzhen headquarters, herding workers from their cubicles as if leading a fire drill. Stragglers are quickly prodded from their desks in service of a new rule; employees must clock out by nine. The scene just minutes later – vacant parking garages, a silent campus – was previously unheard of at the tech company, long... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301815/are-chinas-biggest-firms-turning-page-996-style-work-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301815/are-chinas-biggest-firms-turning-page-996-style-work-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 14:00:09 +0000 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers have urged Beijing to allocate more civilian resources, especially in emerging technologies, to support military development and war readiness, according to the official newspaper of the Chinese armed forces. PLA deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, and military members of its top advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the call during Beijing’s annual political gathering... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3301813/chinas-two-sessions-pla-calls-more-civilian-tech-inputs-military-modernisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3301813/chinas-two-sessions-pla-calls-more-civilian-tech-inputs-military-modernisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:31:20 +0000 “Artificial intelligence is the hot topic at this year’s ‘two sessions’. If you aren’t talking about DeepSeek, it looks like you aren’t fashionable,” said Wu Qing, the head of China’s securities regulator, from the dais at a press conference focusing on the economy on the sidelines of the ‘two sessions’ on Thursday. The head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, better known as the “broker butcher” than for being on trend, was giving voice to the zeitgeist of the latest edition of the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3301745/two-sessions-mood-buoyed-deepseeks-breakthrough-making-ai-weeks-hot-topic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3301745/two-sessions-mood-buoyed-deepseeks-breakthrough-making-ai-weeks-hot-topic?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:00:19 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen A future German coalition government could take a “more rational” approach to China policy, a former Chinese envoy to Germany says, pointing to likely chancellor Friedrich Merz’s focus on the economy and trade. Centre-right election winner Merz, leader of the Christian Democratic Union, is trying to put together a coalition government with the centre-left Social Democrats. The chance of the China-critical Green Party securing a position in the new leadership, however, appears slim. According to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3301730/why-germanys-merz-could-take-more-rational-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3301730/why-germanys-merz-could-take-more-rational-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 06:00:17 +0000 Beijing has set an ambitious target for the expansion of commercial applications for its nuclear technology in a variety of industries, projecting an annual economic output of 400 billion yuan (US$55.25 billion) by 2026. The benchmark – revealed by Li Song, China’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) – would mean a large increase over the next two years, since the figure was around 240 billion yuan in 2023. Areas of focus for the technology would be in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301756/china-wants-supercharge-growth-applications-nuclear-tech?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301756/china-wants-supercharge-growth-applications-nuclear-tech?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 05:46:54 +0000 Beijing’s firm support has always been the strongest guarantee of Hong Kong’s stability and prosperity. This has been reaffirmed as the country charts the way forward during the “two sessions” – the largest annual political gathering in the capital this month. Increasingly, the city reciprocates and strives to compliment national development that yields mutually beneficial dividends, and rightly so. In his work report to the National People’s Congress meeting, Premier Li Qiang said Hong Kong and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3301707/hong-kongs-role-national-development-clearer-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3301707/hong-kongs-role-national-development-clearer-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 22:30:13 +0000 Gig workers and vocational training are two top priorities this year for China as it tries to create jobs in the face of economic headwinds, demographic challenges and external shocks. That was the message Human Resources and Social Security Minister Wang Xiaoping delivered on Sunday on the sidelines of the “two sessions”, the annual gathering of the country’s legislators and political advisers in Beijing. Wang said 30 million people who had been pulled out of poverty would need to keep their... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301697/china-give-gig-workers-and-training-lift-keep-lid-unemployment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301697/china-give-gig-workers-and-training-lift-keep-lid-unemployment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 14:00:10 +0000 More young people and business leaders from Taiwan should visit mainland China to “break information barriers” and boost cross-strait integration, the country’s top legislature was told on Sunday. “I want to tell all our friends in Taiwan, come to the mainland, take a look around. Invest here, build a life here, and pursue personal development here,” Zou Zhenqiu, told a panel meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC) during the annual “two sessions” in Beijing. Zou, head of the Jiangsu... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301690/build-life-here-npc-deputies-pitch-taiwanese-mainland-china-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301690/build-life-here-npc-deputies-pitch-taiwanese-mainland-china-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 13:00:14 +0000 Ng Kang-chung Ng Kang-chung Hong Kong’s finance minister has vowed to accelerate the development of the innovation and technology sector and spur domestic spending after senior Beijing officials outlined priorities at the nation’s top annual political gathering. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday the city needed to make better use of its status as a global financial centre to attract technology sector investment. “[Hong Kong] should strengthen the integration of technology and capital, inject more new... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3301694/hong-kongs-finance-chief-eyes-it-development-after-calls-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3301694/hong-kongs-finance-chief-eyes-it-development-after-calls-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 11:57:53 +0000 China has said it will “vigorously” develop new combat capabilities as it confronts the world’s “most complex security environment” amid the deepening rivalry with the United States. Speaking on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People’s Congress on Sunday, defence ministry spokesman Wu Qian defended this year’s 7.2 per cent rise in military spending, unveiled on Wednesday, as “reasonable and steady” and in line with economic growth. However, he admitted it remained an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3301686/china-says-rising-military-budget-reasonable-face-complex-security-environment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3301686/china-says-rising-military-budget-reasonable-face-complex-security-environment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 10:14:00 +0000 Authorities in the southeastern province of Fujian have promoted religious and ancestral ties with Taiwan as part of Beijing’s push to forge cross-strait cultural connections, according to a municipal party chief. “Taiwan and Fujian are of the same root and blood,” Wang Jinzu, Communist Party secretary of the city of Zhangzhou, said on Thursday in Beijing at a panel discussion of Fujian deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC), the top legislature. His comments echoed similar themes... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301628/roots-and-religion-fujian-citys-mission-forge-cultural-bonds-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301628/roots-and-religion-fujian-citys-mission-forge-cultural-bonds-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 08:06:53 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng Motors hopes to make Hong Kong a launch pad for its autonomous driving technology beyond mainland China, but the ambition will depend on the city’s willingness to create a more open regulatory environment for new technologies. Hong Kong should keep up with the mainland or be more ambitious in terms of regulations for emerging technologies, including autonomous driving and flying vehicles, He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of Xpeng and a National People’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301672/xpeng-chairman-sees-hong-kong-launch-pad-self-driving-evs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3301672/xpeng-chairman-sees-hong-kong-launch-pad-self-driving-evs?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 07:30:08 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Hong Kong society lacks a proper understanding of the “one country, two systems” governing principle, only considering it a solution for “historical issues” and unrelated to national development, a local delegate to the country’s top political advisory body has said. Tu Haiming, vice-chairman of the liaison committee for Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas Chinese, part of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also stressed the need for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301671/hong-kong-must-deepen-understanding-one-country-two-systems-delegate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301671/hong-kong-must-deepen-understanding-one-country-two-systems-delegate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 07:10:49 +0000 China’s tech breakthroughs – including in artificial intelligence – have been front and centre at this year’s “two sessions” political event in Beijing, with senior officials, lawmakers and advisers highlighting the opportunities and challenges brought by the technology. The discussions come as hi-tech competition has intensified between China and the United States, which has imposed sanctions on China’s hi-tech sectors. Asked about the rivalry on Friday, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301606/years-two-sessions-beijing-ai-seems-be-everyones-lips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301606/years-two-sessions-beijing-ai-seems-be-everyones-lips?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 02:00:28 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China’s advancements in disruptive technologies are rapidly blurring the lines between science fiction and reality, from humanoid robots and a computer in the brain to encryption-shattering quantum computers and hypersonic aircraft. Disruptive technology – or innovations that significantly alter established industries and markets – has become a key focus for Beijing as it pushes for dominance in emerging markets ahead of Western powers like the United States. At the start of last year, Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3301567/china-wants-change-world-disruptive-technologies-what-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3301567/china-wants-change-world-disruptive-technologies-what-are-they?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 02:00:18 +0000 As China’s political elite gather for the country’s annual legislative sessions this week, we examine the broader forces likely to influence policies and decision-making for the coming year. In the seventh part of the series, Mandy Zuo looks at which sectors of China’s economy are likely to drive growth in the coming years, and which former stalwarts have lost their place at the top of the hierarchy. When news of President Xi Jinping’s symposium with China’s top business leaders broke last... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301511/two-sessions-2025-whos-and-whos-down-chinas-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301511/two-sessions-2025-whos-and-whos-down-chinas-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu Beijing’s top official in Hong Kong has urged the city to tap the opportunities arising from the “one country, two systems” governing model and drive efforts to contribute to local and national development. Zheng Yanxiong, director of the central government’s liaison office in Hong Kong, also said on Saturday the city needed to embark on a path to unleash “new productive forces” through reform and innovation. “Fully grasp the similarities and differences between Hong Kong and the mainland, give... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301646/hong-kong-must-seize-benefits-one-country-two-systems-model-zheng-yanxiong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3301646/hong-kong-must-seize-benefits-one-country-two-systems-model-zheng-yanxiong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 15:11:43 +0000 China’s highest court will step up protections for AI and intellectual property this year as the country seeks to foster new industries. The commitment was part of the Supreme People’s Court’s annual work report delivered by court president and chief justice Zhang Jun to the top legislature in Beijing on Saturday. Zhang said the top court supported the lawful application of artificial intelligence and “protects innovation strictly in accordance with the law”. “Measures were taken to punish... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301639/chinas-supreme-court-puts-ai-protections-its-2025-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301639/chinas-supreme-court-puts-ai-protections-its-2025-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Mar 2025 12:42:09 +0000