China’s Premier Li Qiang will not hold a press conference after the close of this year’s annual parliamentary meeting, an official announced on Monday, ending a three-decade-long tradition.
Since 1993, China’s premiers have met the media after the annual gathering of the National People’s Congress (NPC), offering journalists, including the foreign press, a rare chance to ask questions in a typically wide-ranging news conference.
The decision was made because there would be more briefings by government ministers during the annual parliament meeting where senior cabinet officials would talk about issues of diplomacy, the economy, and people’s livelihoods, NPC spokesman Lou Qinjian told reporters on Monday.
The premier would not give a media briefing at the conclusion of future NPCs, Lou added. At the close of the annual parliament last year, Li sought to reassure the country’s private sector in his first media conference as premier.
The decision was made because there would be more briefings by government ministers during the annual parliament meeting where senior cabinet officials would talk about issues of diplomacy, the economy, and people’s livelihoods, NPC spokesman Lou Qinjian told reporters on Monday.
The premier would not give a media briefing at the conclusion of future NPCs, Lou added. At the close of the annual parliament last year, Li sought to reassure the country’s private sector in his first media conference as premier.
Source: Reuters
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