Chinese President Xi Jinping did not wear a face mask as China’s National People’s Congress, the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, opened its third annual session today.
Xi was seen leading attendees of the NPC in a minute’s silence for people who died from coronavirus.
Premier Li Keqiang, the country’s second-in-command, then delivered a government work report.
This year’s session was postponed for more than two months due to the pandemic.
NPC members were tested for the virus before the event and the leadership were not seen wearing masks in Beijing today.
Some context: The highly choreographed gatherings of the parliament and its advisory body have for decades been China’s most important annual political event, and an important stage of political performance.
This year, the session gives the country’s leaders an opportunity to highlight their success in containing the virus and underscore the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as lay out plans to revive the battered economy.
