A closer look at the political discussions shaping the everyday lives of 1.4 billion citizens

BEIJING, March 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from Beijing Review:

The Two Sessions—the annual gathering of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference—are not just pivotal events in the country's political calendar. They resonate deeply with ordinary citizens, influencing daily life across the nation.

During the meetings, typically held in early March, discussions surrounding key economic and social policies and other news related to the sessions dominate social media platforms like Weibo. This intersection of high-level policy discussions and grassroots engagement makes the Two Sessions a focal point for understanding contemporary China.

A focus of the Two Sessions is the Report on the Work of the Government delivered by the premier of the State Council to the NPC. It comprehensively reviews the past year's achievements and challenges and sets out the government's plans and priorities for the coming year. The report is deliberated and adopted at the annual sessions.

This year, the Two Sessions ran in Beijing from March 4 to 11.

This year's government work report was delivered by Premier Li Qiang at the opening meeting of the Third Session of the 14th NPC on March 5. The country's economic performance was mentioned at the top of the report. The report said that in 2024, China's GDP rose to 134.9 trillion yuan ($18 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 5 percent. This growth can be attributed to a series of macroeconomic measures implemented to counteract economic downturn pressures. As a result, China remains one of the world's fastest-growing major economies, contributing about 30 percent to global economic growth.

Looking ahead, the Chinese Government has set the economic growth target at around 5 percent for 2025, according to the report. The report also outlines several other key development goals for the year, including a surveyed urban unemployment rate of approximately 5.5 percent, the creation of over 12 million new urban jobs, and a roughly 2-percent increase in the consumer price index, an important gauge of inflation and deflation.

Huang Qunhui, a national political advisor from the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, emphasized the importance of this growth target, describing it as grounded and realistic. He noted that, in the face of a challenging global environment, such a proactive and resilient approach reflects China's determination to navigate uncertainty while pursuing sustainable growth.

As 2025 is the final year of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), this is a pivotal time for formulating the next five-year blueprint. The government seeks not only growth in the short term but also long-term modernization.

The five-year plans, initiated in the 1950s, have served as a central mechanism for guiding China through economic fluctuations and external challenges. They have played an important role in fostering social and economic development and enhancing the nation's strength.

To achieve its growth target, China will roll out more targeted policies to stimulate economic activity. The 2025 government work report stated China will launch special initiatives to boost consumption in 2025, including issuing ultra-long special treasury bonds of 300 billion yuan ($42 billion) to support consumer goods trade-in programs.

In addition, the country will "promote personal income growth through a variety of avenues, increase the earnings of low- and middle-income groups and reduce their financial burdens, and improve the mechanisms for regular pay increases," according to the government report.

Another key focus for the year will be the development of new quality productive forces, tailored to local conditions, and the acceleration of a modernized industrial system. First introduced in 2023, new quality productive forces represent a shift away from traditional economic growth models. They prioritize hi-tech, high-efficiency productivity, aligning with China's new high-quality development philosophy.

To achieve these goals, emerging industries and those of the future, including biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied artificial intelligence (AI), and 6G technology, will see further development. At the same time, traditional industries will be transformed and upgraded to enhance their competitiveness.

Furthermore, the potential of the digital economy will be further unleashed. For example, the extensive application of large-scale AI models will be supported and new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment will enjoy dynamic development, including intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, AI-enabled phones and computers, and intelligent robots.

At the heart of the discussions at the Two Sessions is the commitment to enhancing quality of life for all residents, particularly in areas such as education, healthcare and social security. The government recognizes that a thriving economy must be complemented by robust social infrastructure to support the wellbeing of the nation's 1.4 billion people. The government work report dedicated a substantial portion to policies to improve people's livelihoods.

Soon after Li had delivered the report, the initiative to provide childcare subsidies, aimed at boosting birth rates, became a top trending topic on social media.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China experienced a turnaround in 2024, reporting increases in both the number of newborns and the birth rate after seven consecutive years of decline. This trend has been largely supported by a series of birth-friendly policies to encourage family growth.

Moreover, the government work report also mentioned "promoting free preschool education" as part of the efforts to upgrade basic education and develop sound mechanisms for coordinating the allocation of educational resources.

During an interview following the NPC's opening meeting, Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng emphasized the importance of integrating childbirth, parenting and education. He said these efforts intend to provide greater benefits for families and effectively prepare the education system to nurture high-quality talent for the country. He also noted that a law on preschool education will take effect on June 1. This is a big step forward in supporting early childhood education in China. This law is expected to enhance educational opportunities for young children and strengthen the overall education framework.

In 2025, employment continues to be a primary concern for the public. "Employment is crucial to the people's wellbeing. Keeping this in mind, we will further refine the employment-first policy and make better use of various types of funds and resources to provide stronger support," the work report read. It emphasized the importance of leveraging relevant initiatives, such as unemployment insurance premium refunds, tax and fee reductions, and employment subsidies, to promote full and high-quality employment.

SOURCE Beijing Review