Members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee leave the Great Hall of the People in Beijing after the closing meeting on March 10. The two sessions of China’s top legislature and political advisory body convened between March 4-11. (JIN LIANGKUAI / XINHUA)

This month’s two sessions of China’s top legislature and political advisory body entered into history by endorsing China’s development plans for this year and the following four years, as well as a blueprint for next fifteen years.

The two sessions are the country’s annual meetings of the National People’s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. The fourth session of the 13th NPC concluded this year’s session on March 11, granting approval to the State Council’s Government Work Report, the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for National Economic and Social Development, and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035.

The fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee closed on March 10 after building consensus on embarking on a new journey toward realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

That journey is now highlighting high-quality green development, improved well-being of the people, harmony with nature, and further opening up to outside world, as pointed out by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang at the meetings in Beijing between March 4 and 11.

Both Xi and Li as well as other leaders including Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan attended meetings of both sessions and joined panel discussions with advisors and deputies.

In his meetings with lawmakers and political advisors, Xi noted that high-quality development is the general requirement for all aspects of economic and social development in all regions based on local conditions.

Coordinated development between rural and urban areas is prioritized to advance rural vitalization, improve people’s well-being, and build a new socialist countryside that is beautiful, prosperous and harmonious.

Also on high the agenda should be giving “strategic priority” to tackling major diseases and problems that affect people’s health, and striving for high-quality and balanced basic public education service system.

Highlighting the concept of “green GDP,” Xi said that maintaining a good ecological environment is of enormous value. The NPC endorsed the country’s goal of achieving over 6 percent GDP growth this year.

The president has always stressed “a holistic approach” toward the task of protecting mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes and grasslands. This time, he brought “deserts” into the picture.

Moreover, the new five-year plan says China will promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, and steadily promote the opening-up of financial sectors including banking, securities, insurance and futures.

The NPC annual session also reviewed and approved a decision on improving the electoral system of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to ensure its long-term stability and prosperity, while passing work reports of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate among others. 

The two sessions present a window on how China efficiently builds consensus for its development strategies and goals, a US scholar said.

“I think the consensus building process is just as hard, but it’s more efficiently conducted in China,” said Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Institute for China-America Studies.

The annual gathering is “the most important meeting at which the general direction of government is sorted out, decided, and done and dusted,” he noted. 

The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference — an important channel for resolving conflicts and building consensus — should do more to promote policies, respond to people’s doubts and call for unity, said Wang Yang, chairman of the CPPCC National Committee.

Wang said about 2,100 political advisers pooled their wisdom during the weeklong event by conducting thorough discussions on key reports and national development plans.

“Entering a new stage of development, it’s urgently needed to bring people closer to each other and forge stronger consensus,” he told the closing session.

Xinhua contributed to the story.