China's Top Legislature to Convene After Monthslong Delay

China’s top brass has decided on the convening dates of this year’s Two Sessions (or Lianghui, 两会). 

According to a WeChat post by state-backed People’s Daily, the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC), the PRC’s top legislature, will convene on May 22 while the 13th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will start its third annual session a day earlier. As usual, both meetings are to be held in the nation’s capital.

Explainer: Just What Exactly Are the 'Two Sessions'?

Arguably the two biggest political events in China each year, the Two Sessions are the plenary sessions of the NPC and CPPCC, which are responsible for making national-level political decisions.

The announcement is a strong indicator that the Central Government is ready to move forward amid a monthslong public health crisis. In February, China postponed the annual Two Sessions because of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has infected nearly 83,000 people on the Chinese mainland.

[Cover image via Voice of America Chinese]