Assessing Premier Li's press conference
- By Jon Taylor
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E-mail Beijing Review, March 18, 2016
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Premier Li Keqiang's press conference after the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 12th National People's Congress on March 16 in Beijing. [By Wang Xiang/Beijing Review] |
Premier Li Keqiang's press conference on the final day of the Lianghui is usually something to be closely watched.
This year proved to be of particular importance, given the passage of the final draft of China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), as well as major policy initiatives and legislation ranging from major economic targets to supply-side structural reform to a new charity law.
The answers that Premier Li gives at the end of the two-week Lianghui shape the language of public discourse over the next year.
Prior to this year's Lianghui, Premier Li reiterated that cabinet ministers and heads of the Central Government's departments should actively respond to media and public enquiries and be willing to share more of their thoughts on key policy issues.
The Premier is a man of his word, leading by example by answering an average of 40 questions in his annual post-Lianghui press conference since he became Premier in 2013.
Why the press conference matters
Since 1988, Chinese premiers have held press conferences at the end of the annual Lianghui sessions.
Premiers use the press conference as a venue to "fill-in-the-blanks" on activities in the Two Sessions by answering questions that expand upon policy and legislative initiatives that were considered and/or ratified by the Lianghui.
Often the press conference gives hints as to future policy or legislative proposals. This one was no different, as Premier Li emphasized the importance that the Five-Year Plan will play in pursuing reform, economic policy issues, societal development, and the steps necessary in order to achieve the "decisive push" to create a moderately prosperous society.
The word that might best describe the Premier's annual Lianghui press conference is "expectations" – expectations about the state of the nation, economic development, political and government reform, and where the government intends to go in the next year.
The 2016 version of the Premier's press conference was no different in this respect. How will the government take China forward? What answers will the Premier give to meaningful questions? How will the country move forward economically and socially during the next year?
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