China Touts 'People's Democracy' Ahead of Summit
As China prepares for its annual "Two Sessions" political meetings, state media is heavily promoting its "whole-process people's democracy" and domestic growth drivers. The messaging signals a continued focus on centralized control and policy-driven economic management to ensure stability as the country kicks off its 15th Five-Year Plan.
The "Two Sessions" are the annual, parallel plenary meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and its highest political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Together, over 5,000 delegates gather in Beijing for approximately ten days to set the country's agenda. Key orders of business during the sessions include the premier's "work report," the setting of the annual GDP growth target, and the announcement of the military budget. The NPC, as China's legislature, also ratifies new laws, approves the national budget, and confirms key government appointments. The concept of "whole-process people's democracy" was first raised by President Xi Jinping in 2019. It is officially framed as a system that involves continuous public consultation and is judged by its results in improving citizens' socioeconomic lives, rather than solely on electoral processes common in Western models. This political messaging coincides with the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which pivots from sheer expansion to "high-quality growth." The plan prioritizes achieving technological self-reliance in key areas like artificial intelligence and semiconductors, alongside advancing green and low-carbon development. To fuel this growth, China is focusing on domestic consumption, which contributed to over 67% of GDP growth in the past year. This strategy, known as "dual circulation," aims to strengthen the domestic market while remaining open to international trade, partly as a buffer against global economic uncertainty and trade tensions. However, the economy faces significant headwinds, including a prolonged slump in the property sector and sluggish domestic demand that has persisted despite government efforts to boost spending. The country's GDP growth slowed in the final quarter of 2025, even as it met its official target of 5% for the year. A central pillar of the new five-year plan is innovation, with China's research and development spending having already exceeded $500 billion annually. The country's core AI industry has grown to over 1 trillion yuan as part of a broader push to upgrade its manufacturing base with automation and digitalization.
