China launched its annual political event, the "Two Sessions", on Wednesday, where thousands of parliamentarians and representatives meet for a week to set its goals for the year 2026 and the next five. The world's second largest economy will approach its military budget in a delicate domestic and international context.

Published on: 04/03/2026 - 10:37

Opening of the Chinese political high mass. The world's second largest economic power is holding the "Two Sessions" in Beijing from Wednesday March 4 for a week. She will reveal her growth objectives and her military budget, in a delicate domestic and international context.

Thousands of parliamentarians and representatives from across the country are gathering under the supervision of President Xi Jinping for this choreographed and highly publicized event during which the communist power will set the course for the coming year, but also for the next five.

Read alsoNantianmen project: science fiction, a new ally of the Chinese military

The government has given no sign that the ongoing war in the Middle East could have an impact on this long-prepared domestic policy sequence.

Experts expect the "Two Sessions" to confirm the course set by President Xi.

They will carefully examine the People's Palace, near Tiananmen Square, for the slightest possible sign of political change, including personal implications. China has seen individual evictions, including generals, continue as the “Two Sessions” approach.

President Xi has led an anti-corruption campaign since coming to power in 2012.

Texts already approved

The capital, in gray on Wednesday with snow in the morning, is placed under heavy police surveillance. Drone flying is completely prohibited.

No part was left to the unexpected during this event, presented as a manifestation of the listening given to the people by the omnipotent Communist Party. The adoption of the texts leaves no room for doubt. Most were approved in advance by party leaders.

The “Two Sessions” began on Wednesday around 3 p.m. (07 a.m. GMT) with the grand session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), a body whose role is mainly to make political suggestions to parliamentarians.

Thursday opens the session of the National People's Assembly (ANP), a unicameral parliament of 3,000 members that specialists consider to be a registration chamber.

A fragile truce with the United States

Premier Li Qiang will present the government's work report there. He should disclose the growth objective (5% officially reached at the end of 2025), a barometer of Chinese ambition. China alone represents a third of global growth. Experts expect a target of between 4.5 and 5%.

China is expected to announce its annual defense budget on the same day, facing multiple strategic challenges (tensions in the South China Sea, Taiwan, etc.). Experts expect an increase comparable to that of previous years (a little over 7% since 2022).

The sequence will also be an opportunity to adopt the 2026-2030 five-year plan, a capital plan affecting the economy, technology, defense and even demography.

Read alsoAfter the Supreme Court decision, Xi urges Trump to lift his customs duties

The broad outlines were outlined in October by the Central Committee of the Communist Party, in a framework document which promises a redoubled effort in favor of emerging high technologies to transform industry and ensure strong growth. He affirms the need to stimulate domestic consumption, to reduce dependence on exports.

Despite the bitter trade war fought against the United States in 2025 before a fragile truce concluded in October, China recorded a record trade surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion. Beijing and Washington are due to resume trade discussions in the coming weeks and President Donald Trump is expected to visit China in early April.

Population aging

China is struggling to regain the dynamism before the Covid-19 pandemic (growth of 6.8% in 2018, 6.1% in 2019 according to the World Bank). Its economy continues to suffer the prolonged effects of a serious real estate crisis.

To display this YouTube content, it is necessary to authorize audience measurement and advertising cookies.

An extension in your browser appears to be blocking the loading of the video player. To be able to watch this content, you must disable or uninstall it.

It is faced with local government debt, sluggish domestic demand, excess production capacity, deflationary pressures, high youth unemployment and, in the longer term, an aging population.

Its birth rate fell in 2025 to its lowest level since 1949, the year the People's Republic was proclaimed.

With AFP

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.