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PoliticsChina

What is China's NPC and why does it matter?

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Nehal Johri | Clifford Coonan
March 5, 2026

China's National People's Congress has opened, just as the Iran war escalates. What does Beijing really want, and how does it position itself in this crisis?

During China's annual Two Sessions event, its top leaders develop policies behind closed doors.

DW examines the roles of the National People's Congress (NPC), a rubber-stamp legislature, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body.  

We also look at China's push for high-tech growth, its ageing population crisis, rising defense spending, and efforts to promote Mandarin as the national language.

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