China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) has released its 2024 session’s agenda and daily schedule of meetings, as well as a preliminary schedule of press events during the session. This year’s session will open on the morning of March 5 and close on the afternoon of March 11, lasting seven full days, consistent with Covid-era norms. But in a break with long-standing tradition, and for the first time since 1993, the premier will not hold a press conference after this session, or during the reminder of this NPC’s term “absent special circumstances,” a spokesperson announced on March 4.
All times below are in China Standard Time (UTC +8:00). For a primer on the NPC and its annual sessions, check out this FAQ.
The 2024 session’s agenda contains the following seven items:
- Deliberate the Government Work Report;
- Review a report on the implementation of the 2023 Plan for National Economic and Social Development (“Development Plan”) and on the draft 2024 Development Plan; and review the draft 2024 Development Plan;
- Review a report on the execution of the 2023 Central and Local Budgets (“Budgets”) and on the draft 2024 Budgets; and review the draft 2024 Budgets;
- Deliberate a draft revision to the State Council Organic Law [国务院组织法];
- Deliberate the work report of the NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC);
- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC); and
- Deliberate the work report of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP).
The absence of personnel matters from the agenda means that, during this year’s session, the NPC will not fill the two State Councilor vacancies or the open seat on the Central Military Commission, created by the removals of Qin Gang and Li Shangfu last year. Nor will it appoint a replacement for foreign minister Wang Yi, who is likely holding the position only temporarily.
Key documents will be introduced and voted on according to the following schedule:
- March 5 (a.m.): Hear the Government Work Report; review the report on the Development Plans and the 2024 Development Plan; review the report on the Budgets and the 2024 Budgets; and hear an explanation of the draft State Council Organic Law revision.
- March 8 (a.m.): Hear the NPCSC’s, SPC’s, and SPP’s work reports.
- March 11 (p.m.): Vote on various resolutions concerning the work reports, Development Plans, and Budgets; and vote on the draft State Council Organic Law revision.
A more detailed description of the session’s daily schedule follows. The “Delegates’ Corridors” and “Ministers’ Corridors” are brief Q&As that will take place immediately before and after, respectively, the relevant plenary meetings. We will update this post with links to all plenary meetings and press events throughout the session.
Tuesday, March 5
🎙 8 a.m.: Delegates’ Corridor
9 a.m. (1st plenary meeting): Hear the Government Work Report from Li Qiang (Premier); review the report on the Development Plans and the 2024 Development Plan; review the report on the Budgets and the 2024 Budgets; and hear an explanation of the draft State Council Organic Law revision by Li Hongzhong (NPCSC Vice Chairman).
🎙 10:50 a.m.: Ministers’ Corridor
Yin Hejun, Minister of Science and Technology
Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources
Tang Renjian, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Zhang Yuzhuo, Director of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission
3 p.m.: Delegates deliberate the Government Work Report as delegations.
Wednesday, March 6
9 a.m.: Delegates deliberate the Government Work Report in small groups.
3 p.m.: Delegates review, in small groups, the report on Development Plans and the draft 2024 Development Plan, as well as the report on the Budgets and the draft 2024 Budgets.
🎙 3 p.m.: Press conference on the economy
Zheng Shanjie, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission
Lan Fo’an, Minister of Finance
Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce
Pan Gongsheng, Governor of the People’s Bank of China
Wu Qing, Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission
Thursday, March 7
9 a.m.: Delegates review, in small groups, the report on Development Plans and the draft 2024 Development Plan, as well as the report on the Budgets and the draft 2024 Budgets.
🎙 10 a.m.: “China’s foreign policy and foreign relations”
Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
3 p.m.: Delegates deliberate the draft State Council Organic Law revision in small groups.
Friday, March 8
🎙 8 a.m.: Delegates’ Corridor
9 a.m. (2nd plenary meeting): Hear the NPCSC’s work report from Zhao Leji (NPCSC Chairman); hear the SPC’s work report from Zhang Jun (SPC President); and hear the SPP’s work report from Ying Yong (SPP Procurator-General).
🎙 10:50 a.m.: Ministers’ Corridor
Jin Zhuanglong, Minister of Industry and Information Technology
Lu Zhiyuan, Minister of Civil Affairs
Huang Runqiu, Minister of Ecology and Environment
Li Xiaopeng, Minister of Transport
Luo Wen, Director of the State Administration for Market Regulation
📄 12 p.m.: Deadline for submitting delegate bills
3 p.m.: Delegates deliberate the NPCSC’s work report in small groups.
Saturday, March 9
9 a.m.: Delegates deliberate, in small groups, a revised version of the draft State Council Organic Law revision as well as the SPC’s and SPP’s work reports.
3 p.m.: Delegates deliberate the SPC’s and SPP’s work reports in small groups.
🎙 3 p.m.: Press conference on “the people’s livelihood”
Huan Jinping, Minister of Education
Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security
Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
Wang Hesheng, Director of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration
Sunday, March 10
9 a.m.: Delegates deliberate the NPCSC’s, SPC’s, and SPP’s work reports as delegations.
3 p.m.: Delegates deliberate, in small groups, three draft resolutions on the Government Work Report, Development Plans, and Budgets, respectively.
Monday, March 11
9 a.m.: Delegates deliberate, in small groups, three draft resolutions on the NPCSC’s, SPC’s, and SPP’s work reports, respectively.
🎙 2 p.m.: Delegates’ Corridor
3 p.m. (3rd plenary meeting): Vote on all resolutions and the draft State Council Organic Law revision.
🎙 4 p.m.: Ministers’ Corridor
Sun Yeli, Minister of Culture and Tourism
Yu Jianhua, Director of the General Administration of Customs
Li Yunze, Director of the National Financial Regulatory Administration
Gao Zhidan, Director of the General Administration of Sport
Shen Changyu, Director of the National Intellectual Property Administration