Why I miss the Chinese premier’s annual press conference at the close of the country’s ‘two sessions’

A major attribute of the press conference is it projects Beijing’s confidence and open attitude about various topics from foreign policy to economy
The way China’s premier fields questions also enables the public to get a better glimpse into his personality

Zhou Xin

Published: 7:00am, 12 Mar 2024

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The “two sessions”, the annual meetings of China’s top legislative and political advisory bodies, concluded on Monday without the much-anticipated press conference hosted by the country’s premier, discontinuing a customary practice that was established in the early 1990s.

According to the official explanation, the press conference at the close of this year’s National People’s Congress (NPC) was cancelled because there was already sufficient information from lawmakers, ministers and policy documents provided to the media and the public. Barring exceptional circumstances, future press conferences of the current NPC term will also be scrapped – in essence, the long-held practice was treated as unnecessary.

That “technical justification”, however, is not sufficiently convincing. There must have been a good reason for the press conference to have existed for more than three decades. As a student, and later as a journalist, I have always enjoyed watching these press conferences broadcast live by state television.

A major attribute of the annual press conference, held in a magnificent room inside the Great Hall of the People, is that at least half of the questions asked were from non-mainland Chinese media, covering a wide range of topics from foreign policy to issues related to the economy, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.

These questions tested how officials fielded questions with their knowledge and wisdom. The exchanges, which were sometimes spirited, between top government officials and the international press corps showed China’s confidence and openness.

The way China’s premier fielded questions also enabled the public to get a better glimpse into his personality. Zhu Rongji, who served as China’s premier from 1998 to 2003, became known at his debut press conference for his daring spirit and strong resolve to face down “multitudinous minefields and 30,000-metre abysses”.

The press conference’s questions and answers are used as case studies in Chinese journalism classes, while the translations made by the country’s best-trained interpreters have become essential material for English-language learners. These have also become valuable references for ministers and local government officials to follow.

One unforgettable moment happened in 2012, when Wen Jiabao – who served as premier between 2003 and 2013 – took the last question in a nearly three-hour session. It was about the implications of Chongqing vice-mayor Wang Lijun’s action at the time to run away and hide out at the US consulate in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan province.

China’s premier won’t meet the press after ‘two sessions’ for first time in 3 decades

Wen took it as an opportunity to send a strong message that Chongqing’s leadership was to be held accountable, without naming Bo Xilai – the city’s Communist Party Secretary at the time. Wen’s answer was anchored on key phrases – including “thought emancipation”, “seeking truth from facts” and “reform and opening up” – which have since gained new meaning and significance in Chinese history.

While it is not the venue to issue major policies, the annual press conference provided a major platform for China’s premier to communicate his intentions on specific matters. Over the past few years, the press conference has focused on China’s economy

Premier Li Qiang’s debut press conference last year, for example, used a colloquial term “four thousands” to describe the spirit of private entrepreneurship in eastern Zhejiang province, where his career started. Li’s message of “crossing thousands of mountains and rivers, looking for thousands of ways and solutions, speaking thousands of words and lines, and overcoming thousands of difficulties” was thought of as a way to inspire many people to carry on despite hardships.

The annual press conference was never just about releasing information or data. It was an essential tradition in China’s political protocol. While Beijing has called on the media to tell China’s story well to the rest of the world, it is both puzzling and sad to see the lights turned off on one of the most-watched platforms for people to understand what makes the country tick.