China’s political elite wrapped up their annual parliamentary session on Thursday.
In the centenary year of China’s Communist Party, the leadership sent a clear message that internal stability is paramount, particularly in Hong Kong.
At the end of the National People’s Congress (NPC) session, the national legislature approved the biggest shake-up to Hong Kong’s electoral system, which officials said was to prevent subversion under the city’s national security law.
The meetings took place amid an intense geopolitical rivalry between China and the US, who are at odds over issues ranging from Hong Kong and Taiwan to the trade war and human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
Reporting by Shi Jiangtao, Jun Mai, Zhuang Pinghui, Wendy Wu, Tony Cheung and Catherine Wong
