The Two Sessions (Chinese: 两会) is the collective term for the annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which are typically both held every March at the Great Hall of the People in Xicheng, Beijing around the same dates.[1][2] The Two Sessions last for about ten days.[3]: 61–62
| Two Sessions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplified Chinese | 两会 | ||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 兩會 | ||||||||
| Literal meaning | two sessions | ||||||||
| |||||||||
During the Two Sessions, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) hear and discuss reports from the premier of the State Council, the president of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator-general.[3]: 61–62
Other uses of the term
editDuring the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, the term for the Two Sessions in Chinese, lianghui, became a covert means of avoiding Internet censorship.[4][5][6] When PRC censors attempted to limit news of the Arab Spring by disabling internet searches for Chinese words such as "Egypt," "Tunisia," and "jasmine", protest organizers urged bloggers and activists to call planned protests lianghui. If the government were to censor this dissenters' circumlocution, it would effectively block internet news about the governmental NPC and CPPCC meetings.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Davidson, Helen (March 1, 2023). "Explainer: what is China's 'two sessions' gathering, and why does it matter?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ "All you need to know about China's 'Two Sessions'". Al Jazeera. March 3, 2023. Archived from the original on April 26, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- ^ a b Li, David Daokui (2024). China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0393292398.
- ^ a b Page, Jeremy (February 24, 2011). "Chinese Push for 'Jasmine' Protests Continues". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
- ^ Kent, Jo Ling (February 25, 2011). "Organizers call for second round of demonstrations across China". CNN. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
- ^ Keats, Jonathon (May 31, 2011). "Jargon Watch: Antilaser, Steppenwolf Planets, Diabetes Belt". Wired. Vol. 19, no. 6. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
