Remember how Xi Jinping humiliated his predecessor Hu Jintao at the Communist Party Congress back in October 2022?
No such scenes were visible at the opening session of the National People's Congress -- what passes for the Chinese communist party's parliament -- at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday March 5, 2025.
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference usually meets once a year, coinciding with the National People's Congress' annual plenary sessions.
Together, these two major political gatherings are known as the 'National Two Sessions' (Quanguo Lianghui in Chinese).
And while delegates from all over China attended the National People's Congress, all eyes were on one man, the anointed-by-personal-diktat ruler for life, Xi Jinping.
IMAGE: Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Chinese communist party, makes a forceful point to the party's main ideologue and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Huning at the opening session of the National People's Congress, March 5, 2025. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Xi, who is also China's president, and Premier Li Qiang at the opening session. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Li Qiang presented the National People's Congress an annual report card of how China has fared in the past year. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Xi sings the Chinese national anthem during the opening session. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Li Qiang bows after delivering his work report, which Chinese premiers are required to do at the National People's Congress. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters
IMAGE: Xi appears to approve of Li's performance. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters
IMAGE: Chinese premiers were meant to be a counterpoint to the president's authority and power, but Li is considered to be the weakest premier in years. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Xi leaves after the opening session. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
Day 1: The opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
IMAGE: Delegates applaud Xi as he arrives to attend the opening session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 4, 2025. Photograph: Florence Lo/Reuters
Photograph: Go Nakamura/Reuters
IMAGE: Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng at the opening session. Photograph: Go Nakamura/Reuters
IMAGE: CPPCC Chairman Wang Huning speaks during the session. Photograph: Go Nakamura/Reuters
IMAGE: A view of the Great Hall of the People as delegates attend the opening session. Photograph: Go Nakamura/Reuters
IMAGE: Delegates from the Tibet Autonomous Region arrive at the Great Hall of the People before the CPPCC opening session. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
IMAGE: Delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People before the CPPCC opening session. Photograph: Tingshu Wang/Reuters
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
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