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Press Conference of the Premier of the State Council

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March 2015, Premier Li Keqiang of the State Council attended the press conference

The Press Conference of the Premier of the State Council, also known as the "Premier's Q&A with Journalists", is a meeting held by the Premier of the State Council, who serves as the head of government of China, with both domestic and foreign journalists. The Premier's press conference started in 1988 when Premier Li Peng accepted an invitation from the spokesperson of the 7th National People's Congress, Zeng Tao, to meet with journalists from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and foreign countries.[1][2]

After 1993, the Premier's press conferences tended toward normalization.[3] When Zhu Rongji became Premier in 1998, the press conference became a focal point of the National People's Congress sessions, and its duration extended to two and a half hours.[2] During the tenures of Wen Jiabao and Li Keqiang as Premier of the State Council, a press conference was held each year after the closing of the National People's Congress sessions. When Li Qiang became Premier in 2023, only one press conference has been held since. Starting in 2024, it was officially announced that, barring special circumstances, there would no longer be Premier's press conferences in the years following the current National People's Congress session.[4]

History

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Premier Li Qiang meets the press after the closing of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 13, 2023

The tradition of holding a press conference with the premier traced back to 1988, after the first session of 7th National People's Congress, when Li Peng was invited to meet the press. It was also from that time onwards that China Central Television began to broadcast the press conference live.[5]

In April 1989, the Rules of Procedure of the National People's Congress, passed during the Second Session of the 7th National People's Congress, stipulated that the National People's Congress should be "openly held". It also specifically included "holding press conferences and receptions for journalists" as part of the proceedings of the National People's Congress.[6]

In March 2012, Premier Wen Jiabao, in his final major press conference, emphasized the need for political openness and warned against the potential reoccurrence of historic tragedies like the Cultural Revolution after the fifth session of the 11th National People's Congress.[7] His remarks were seen as an rebuke to Bo Xilai, known for his "red revival" campaign promoting Mao Zedong-era themes.[8] Bo was fired as the Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary of Chongqing a day after the press conference.[9][10]

On May 28, 2020, Premier Li Keqiang attended the press conference following the conclusion of the Third Session of the 13th National People's Congress.[11] During the conference, he disclosed that currently in China, around 600 million people have a monthly income of only about 1000 yuan. This statement sparked widespread controversy, especially considering that 2020 was designated by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, as the year to eradicate absolute poverty.[12][13]

On March 4, 2024, a spokesperson said China's Premier Li Qiang will not brief the media at the close of the Second Session of the 14th National People's Congress.[4] After the cancellation of the premier's press conference was announced, some media outlets analyzed that this signaled the country's increasingly inward focus and centralized control, indicating Xi's gradual downgrading of the premier's role,[14][15] thus bringing an end to the tradition of the premier's press conference at the Two Sessions that had been maintained for 30 years.[16]

List of conferences

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Date Venue Meeting Attending Premier Relevant reports
13 April 1988 Great Hall of the People 7th National People's Congress, First Session Li Peng
9 April 1991 7th National People's Congress, Fourth Session
13 March 1993 8th National People's Congress, First Session
22 March 1994 8th National People's Congress, Second Session
18 March 1995 8th National People's Congress, Third Session
17 March 1996 8th National People's Congress, Fourth Session
14 March 1997 8th National People's Congress, Fifth Session
19 March 1998 9th National People's Congress, First Session Zhu Rongji [17]
15 March 1999 9th National People's Congress, Second Session [18]
15 March 2000 9th National People's Congress, Third Session [19]
15 March 2001 9th National People's Congress, Fourth Session [20]
15 March 2002 9th National People's Congress, Fifth Session [21]
18 March 2003 10th National People's Congress, First Session Wen Jiabao [22]
14 March 2004 10th National People's Congress, Second Session [23]
14 March 2005 10th National People's Congress, Third Session
14 March 2006 10th National People's Congress, Fourth Session
16 March 2007 10th National People's Congress, Fifth Session
18 March 2008 11th National People's Congress, First Session
13 March 2009 11th National People's Congress, Second Session
14 March 2010 11th National People's Congress, Third Session
14 March 2011 11th National People's Congress, Fourth Session
14 March 2012 11th National People's Congress, Fifth Session [24]
17 March 2013 12th National People's Congress, First Session Li Keqiang [25]
13 March 2014 12th National People's Congress, Second Session [26]
15 March 2015 12th National People's Congress, Third Session [27]
16 March 2016 12th National People's Congress, Fourth Session [28]
15 March 2017 12th National People's Congress, Fifth Session [29]
20 March 2018 13th National People's Congress, First Session [30]
15 March 2019 13th National People's Congress, Second Session [31]
28 May 2020 Great Hall of the People (Premier)

Media Center (China) [zh] (Press)

13th National People's Congress, Third Session [11]
11 March 2021 13th National People's Congress, Fourth Session [32]
11 March 2022 13th National People's Congress, Fifth Session [33]
13 March 2023 Great Hall of the People 14th National People's Congress, First Session Li Qiang [34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "于泽远：中国为何不再举行总理记者会？ | 联合早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  2. ^ a b "总理记者会什么最受关注". 华商报. 2015-03-15. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-12-23.
  3. ^ "解码总理记者会". 央视网. Archived from the original on 2024-03-04.
  4. ^ a b "娄勤俭：今年十四届全国人大二次会议闭幕后不举行总理记者会 - The Paper". www.thepaper.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  5. ^ "解码人代会：不得不说的"总理记者会"_中华人民共和国中央人民政府门户网站". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  6. ^ "中华人民共和国全国人民代表大会议事规则". 中华人民共和国国务院公报 (7): 313–322. 1989. 第十八条：全国人民代表大会会议公开举行。全国人民代表大会会议期间，代表在各种会议上发言，整理简报并印发会议，并可以根据本人要求，将发言记录或摘要印发会议。大会全体会议设旁听席。旁听办法另行规定。全国人民代表大会会议举行新闻发布会、记者招待会。
  7. ^ "What worries Grandpa Wen". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  8. ^ Richburg, Keith B. (2023-05-19). "China's Wen Jiabao calls for reforms even as legislature strengthens detention law". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  9. ^ "Bo Xilai removed by China from Chongqing leader post". BBC News. 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  10. ^ Richburg, Keith B. (2023-05-20). "Bo Xilai's ouster seen as victory for Chinese reformers". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  11. ^ a b "李克强总理出席记者会并回答中外记者提问_总理_中国政府网". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  12. ^ "China faces outcry after premier admits 40% of population struggles". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  13. ^ "李克强提中国6亿人月入仅1000元 专家受官媒访问强调是平均". RFI - 法国国际广播电台 (in Simplified Chinese). 2020-06-01. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  14. ^ Lee, Liz. "China ends 30-year tradition: premier's annual press conference". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  15. ^ "'No one is number 2': Xi Jinping looms larger than ever over China". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-03-13.
  16. ^ Cheng, Evelyn (2024-03-03). "China breaks with tradition at annual 'Two Sessions' meeting by scrapping premier's press conference". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  17. ^ "新闻回放：1998年朱总理答记者问". news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  18. ^ "朱榕基总理答中外记者问". 1999-03-16. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  19. ^ "朱总理在九届人大三次会议后答中外记者问(全文)". news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  20. ^ "朱总理3月15日中外记者招待会答问摘要(一)". news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  21. ^ "朱总理会见中外记者". news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  22. ^ "2003年3月温家宝总理会见中外记者答问全文". un.china-mission.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  23. ^ "国务院总理温家宝答中外记者问". news.enorth.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  24. ^ "182分钟 2012年记者会成温家宝任内最长记者会-中新网". www.chinanews.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  25. ^ "Premier Li Keqiang meets press". be.china-embassy.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  26. ^ "Premier Li Keqiang Meets the Press". sa.china-embassy.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  27. ^ "Premier Li Keqiang Meets the Press". www.mfa.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  28. ^ "Premier Li Keqiang meets the press". vienna.china-mission.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  29. ^ "总理记者会的10个罕见瞬间_领导动态_中国政府网". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  30. ^ "Premier Li Keqiang Meets the Press". english.www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
  31. ^ "国务院总理李克强会见中外记者_2019全国两会直播_中国政府网". www.gov.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  32. ^ "李克强总理出席记者会并回答中外记者提问 - 人民网". people.com.cn. 2021-03-12. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  33. ^ "李克强总理出席记者会并回答中外记者提问-新华网". www.news.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  34. ^ "李强总理出席记者会并回答中外记者提问-新华网". www.news.cn. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
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