BEIJING, March 4— The Great Hall of the People opened its doors today for the start of China’s most consequential political event in years: the 2026 “Two Sessions.”
While the advisory body (CPPCC) convened in the afternoon, the primary focus remains on tomorrow’s opening of the National People’s Congress (NPC), where the government will unveil the blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan.
With the global economy watching, Premier Li Qiang is expected to deliver a Government Work Report tomorrow morning that balances ambition with caution. Analysts are bracing for a GDP growth target potentially set in the 4.5 per cent to5.0 per cent range, a shift that would signal Beijing’s move away from “growth at all costs” in favour of high-tech sustainability.
The central theme of this year’s session is the transition to “New Quality Productive Forces.”
This strategy aims to insulate the Chinese economy from external trade pressures by achieving self-reliance in “frontier” sectors:
With U.S. President Trump scheduled for a high-stakes visit later this month, observers are looking for “measured” language in the NPC reports to avoid escalating trade friction before the two leaders meet.
