"Two sessions" offers window for international community to understand China

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is critical for achieving the goals set in the 14th Five-Year Plan. The "two sessions" this year, the annual meetings of China's national legislature and top political advisory body, have received broad attention from the international community.

By observing the "two sessions," the international community can deepen its understanding of China's democracy, gain insight into the pulse of China's high-quality economic development, and better grasp the opportunities of cooperation between China and other countries.

A press conference of the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 3, 2024. [People's Daily Online/Guo Junfeng]

Observing the "two sessions" helps the international community understand China's governance. The "two sessions" are a vivid practice of China's whole-process people's democracy, and offers an important window for the international community to understand China's modernization of national governance.

Some foreign scholars believe that by understanding the "two sessions," one can understand how Chinese democracy operates effectively. The deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) actively fulfill their duties and responsibilities, with the voices of the people coalescing into a consensus on national governance.

According to statistics recently released by the State Council Information Office, government departments under China's State Council handled 7,955 suggestions and 4,525 proposals, accounting for 95.7 percent and 96.5 percent of all suggestions and proposals submitted. The departments rolled out over 2,000 policy measures based on some 4,700 suggestions and proposals last year.

China's whole-process people's democracy not only has a complete set of institutions and procedures, but also is full of participation and practices. It has taken root in China as a political institution, a mechanism of governance and a lifestyle of the people.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the NPC and the 75th anniversary of the CPPCC. Through observing the "two sessions," the international community will gain a profound understanding of the wisdom and strength of China's governance.

Observing the "two sessions" helps the international community understand the quality of China's economic development.

Achieving high-quality development is one of the essential requirements of Chinese modernization. Over the past year, China's economy has recovered. With an economic growth of 5.2 percent, higher than the anticipated global growth rate of around 3 percent, China ranks among the top in major economies worldwide. It fully demonstrates the strong endogenous impetus, resilience, and potential of the country's economic development.

China is vigorously implementing its innovation-driven development strategy and promoting the accelerated development of new quality productive forces, which will continuously inject new impetus into high-quality development.

Chinese and foreign journalists raise their hands to ask questions at a press conference of the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, March 3, 2024. [People's Daily/Lei Sheng]

Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economic recovery, the international community looks forward to China's "two sessions" further releasing positive signals of an economic rebound and improvement.

Foreign media believe that China's current goal is to improve people's living standards through high-quality development and the country is driving the transformation of its economic development towards an innovation-driven model, and accelerating coordinated digital and green transitions, which will set an example for the sustainable development of the global economy.

Observing the "two sessions" helps the international community understand the will of China to cooperate with other countries.

China has implemented five measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into China, lifted all entry restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector, accelerated the implementation of 24 policy measures to stabilize foreign investment, signed free trade agreements and investment protection agreements with more countries, and steadily promoted high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with relevant parties.

These measures have sent a clear signal of China's unwavering commitment to further opening up at a higher level, demonstrating China's determination and confidence in providing new opportunities for the world through its own new development.

How China will promote higher-level opening up and enhance its ability to participate in the international circulation has become one of the hot topics drawing attention from the international community at this year's "two sessions."

The international community is particularly interested in China's development direction set by the "two sessions" and expects China to continue contributing to promoting peace and prosperity. International observers said that they look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of China's plans and actions in addressing global challenges through the "two sessions," and they expect China to provide more stability and certainty to the world.

China's "two sessions" will allow the international community to see that the country firmly stays on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics, and solidly advances whole-process people's democracy. China is also resolutely pursuing high-quality development to achieve Chinese modernization and promoting high-level opening up to drive common development of the world. Through these efforts, China will make greater contributions to world peace, development, and human progress.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of Qiushi Journal.