[FR] China’s “Two Sessions” summit: a showcase for Xi Jinping’s policy of prioritising security over the economy

The Two Sessions Summit is an important political event in China. It consists of the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress, which is equivalent to the French National Assembly but meets only once a year and has more than 3,000 elected members (a body limited to 175 members, the ‘standing committee’, also makes legislative decisions approximately once every two months) . The second session is that of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, which is a political advisory body with more than 2,000 members, equivalent to our Economic, Social and Environmental Council.

In the 2024 edition, Xi Jinping’s strategy crystallises around two main axes: 1) strengthening the party’s control over state structures and 2) consolidating his personal grip on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In the face of an economic slowdown, this strategy leaves him more exposed to discontent. However, the importance given to national security now outweighs that of economic development, resulting in timid reforms, camouflaged by a political communication strategy based on the introduction of new concepts.