Highlights from NPC news conference

The 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, held a news conference via video link on Friday, one day ahead of the opening of its fifth annual session. Here are the highlights:

Zhang Yesui, spokesperson for the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress, speaks during a news conference in Beijing on Friday, March 4, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

About the session

  • The session to run from March 5-11

  • The session to deliberate the report on the work of the government

  • The session to deliberate the draft amendment to the Organic Law of the Local People's Congresses and Local People's Governments

  • The session to deliberate the draft method for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to elect deputies to the 14th NPC

  • The session to deliberate the draft method for the Macao SAR to elect deputies to the 14th NPC

A medical worker takes a swab sample from a citizen for nucleic acid test at a testing site in Dongli district in North China's Tianjin, Jan 15, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

On COVID-19

  • China's dynamic zero-COVID policy has kept the global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth

  • China's dynamic zero-COVID approach has worked in China's context and is by no means zero infection

  • All the figures show that China is one of the best performers in curbing COVID-19 pandemic

Villagers submit proposals to the Party committee in Bancheng town, Suqian city, Jiangsu province. (XU CHANGLIANG / FOR CHINA DAILY)

On democracy 

  • China's "whole process people's democracy" not only has a complete institutional procedure, but also emphasizes participation

  • "People's democracy" is the essence and core of socialist democratic politics

  • "Whole process" means that all the people participate in democratic elections, consultations, decision making, management and supervision

  • No one-size-fits-all mode of democracy

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome, Oct 31, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

On China-US ties

  • Stable ties between China and the US are good for development of both sides, and conducive to maintaining international peace

  • US' treating China as strategic rival will only undermine mutual trust and cooperation and will eventually hurt the US' own interests

National People's Congress deputies from the Xinjiang delegation prepare to attend the second plenary meeting of the fourth session of the 13th NPC in Beijing on Monday. (KUANG LINHUA / CHINA DAILY)

On people's congresses

  • More than 1 billion voters have participated in latest round of elections of deputies to people's congresses

The 13th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, holds a news conference via video link in Beijing on Friday, March 4, 2022. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

On one-China principle

  • One-China principle is political foundation for China to develop bilateral relations with all countries

  • Lithuania responsible for current difficulties in relations

A batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccines arrives at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Aug 13, 2021. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

On COVID-19 vaccines

  • China is the country that provides the most COVID-19 vaccines globally

  • China has provided over 2.1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for more than 120 countries and international organizations, accounting for one third of the total number of vaccines administered outside China

  • China will continue to prioritize developing countries as major partners in vaccine cooperation

(PHOTO / IC)

On China's Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law

  • The law is a defensive measure to counter others' containment and oppression

  • The law is essentially different from the unilateral sanctions pursued by some countries