China unexpectedly announced that it would no longer have yearly news conferences with premier
One of the few occasions a senior Chinese official answered questions from the media was at the premier’s yearly press conference, which the Chinese government said on Monday it was ending.
On the eve of the legislature’s annual session, National People’s Congress spokeswoman Lou Qinlan said that Premier Li Qiang would not, according to tradition, conduct a press conference after the meeting.
According to Lou, there will be more chances for media to question government ministers and other officials at the congress, in addition to the almost 3,000 participants.
Without providing any additional context, he said, “The premier’s press conference will not be held in the next few years if there are no special circumstances.”
The week-long gathering of the mostly ceremonial legislature is eagerly anticipated for clues about the government’s plans to strengthen the faltering economy. It begins on Tuesday. At the opening, Premier Qiang will deliver an annual report that is anticipated to include the government’s 2024 economic growth objective.
