China’s Two Sessions 2025: Impacts on the World

As China gears up to hold “Two Sessions”, the world is on its toes to figure out the connotations of their vibes and influence amid new emerging geopolitical, geostrategic and geoeconomic dynamics.

The two political gatherings, the National People’s Congress (top legislative body) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (top political advisory body), always draw global eyeball, because they review China’s one year performance and chart the country’s future course that will influence not only China’s own internal growth outlook but also global development scenarios.

China opening its door wider to the world will be an imperative topic in the two sessions as it will lay bare China’s mindset offering global players to comprehend to what level China will further explore engagement with the international market.

Already China has completely lifted restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector and established a nationwide negative list management system for cross-border services trade.

According to the China Business Climate Survey Report released by the American Chamber of Commerce in China in January, 48 percent of surveyed U.S. companies ranked China as a top-three global investment priority, and furthermore, 53 percent of respondents plan to increase their investments in China by 2025, with nearly 70 percent of consumer sector companies expressing confidence in the Chinese market.

A research report by Deutsche Bank, published in February, also highlighted that 2025 could be a pivotal year for Chinese investment. “We believe that 2025 is the year when the investment community realizes that China is surpassing the rest of the world,” it said.

This year’s two sessions are round the corner at the time when the United Nations (UN) will mark the 80th anniversary of its establishment. In all its 80 years, development has been a crucial aspect of the UN’s work. However, in today’s world, global development is facing many difficulties and challenges. The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has only five years to go, but only 17 percent of the goals are on track to be achieved. And achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires the joint efforts of all nations.

China has emerged as a vital driver of global development, playing a crucial role in various UN development agendas. With its robust economy and significant contributions to global economic growth, China has lifted about 800 million people out of extreme poverty since the late 1970s, surpassing the UN’s 2030 poverty reduction target ahead of schedule.

Approaching political gatherings hold high-octane significance because it will help the world understand how China will continue to keep poverty at bay.

A key component of this poverty eradication strategy is a dynamic monitoring and assistance mechanism for those at risk of returning to poverty, including households that have recently escaped poverty and those on the brink of falling back into poverty. This system features regular checks and dynamic management to ensure early detection, intervention and support.

All 832 poverty-stricken counties that were removed from the poverty list in 2020 have cultivated two to three leading industries, with a total output value exceeding 1.7 trillion yuan ($230 billion). By enhancing the quality and efficiency of these industries, a stable income source is ensured for those lifted out of poverty. As of the end of 2024, the number of employed people from once poverty-stricken areas reached 33.05 million, maintaining a stable level above 30 million for four consecutive years.

In this regard, international community has enthused into upcoming two sessions to get the bottom of another mega plan titled “No. 1 central document” for 2025 issued few days back. It aims to prevent lapse and relapse into poverty, as well as creating a categorized assistance system for low-income residents and underdeveloped regions in rural areas.

The world is always very keen to promote democracy. Hence, the mechanics and dynamics of China’s consultative and whole-process people’s democracy that will be taken stock of in upcoming “two sessions NPC and CPPCC” draws immense attention to international community.

Throughout 2024, the CPPCC facilitated China’s modernization through collaborative consultation and dialogue. A total of 85 events were organized in the year for consultation and deliberation on a diverse range of issues, including state affairs. They included two special consultation sessions, 17 bi-weekly consultative meetings and remote consultation sessions, and 13 expert consultation meetings.

There are several examples of how proposals put forward by CPPCC members effectively facilitate Chinese modernization. Jiang Ming, a CPPCC member and an agricultural expert, proposed developing high-standard farmlands across the country. His proposal received positive responses from relevant ministries in 2023. Later In 2024, Jiang continued following the issues of protection and utilization of black soil.  Such proposals, along with consultative meetings, research findings and fieldwork studies, reflect the collective strength of the CPPCC members, who continuously strive to realize the aspirations of the people and improve their lives.

This year marks the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) period. As China continues its march toward modernization, the CPPCC members are tasked with ensuring that people’s voices are heard and their collective aspirations are reflected in the national development strategy.

China’s democracy works institutionally via the formal processes of the people’s congresses at various levels of political organization, culminating in the NPC, which is the highest organ of state power. The deputies to people’s congresses come from all regions, ethnic groups, sectors and social groups across China, and function at national, provincial, city, county and township levels.

The “two sessions” will also discuss China’s foreign policy, as the foreign minister typically holds a press conference on the sidelines of the meetings.

Last year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered 21 questions during a 90-minute press conference, with journalists from across the world participating. The foreign minister shed the light on various regional and international hotspot issues, such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. He also expounded on China’s foreign policies toward Russia, the United States, Europe, and Global South.

During this year’s two sessions, China’s optics on international relations are particularly noteworthy against the backdrop of a rapidly changing and turbulent global landscape.

The article reflects the author’s opinions, and not necessarily the views of China Focus.