Apart from the delayed opening, this year’s two sessions are “unusual” in many aspects. XINHUA
China’s two sessions, a key event on the country’s political calendar, began on May 21 after having been postponed for more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
两会是我国政治生活中的一件大事。5月21日，因新冠肺炎疫情而延期两个多月的两会拉开大幕。
Apart from the delayed opening, this year’s two sessions are “unusual” in many aspects, as China Daily noted.
《中国日报》报道，除延期开幕外，今年的两会在许多方面都“非同寻常”。
First and foremost, the world will“watch how China charts the course for a crucial year to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve its development goals, while effectively warding off coronavirus risks”, reported Xinhua.
据新华社报道，首先，全世界都会“关注中国如何规划决胜全面建成小康社会之年，实现发展目标，同时有效防治新冠肺炎疫情。”
In 2019, China achieved a GDP growth of 6.1 percent, meeting the target range of 6-6.5 percent. Analysts expect this year’s target will continue to be a feasible one, and with stronger boosting measures, China could achieve growth faster than that of all other major economies, Xinhua noted.
2019年中国国内生产总值比上年增长6.1%，符合6%-6.5%的预期目标。新华社指出，分析人士预计，今年依然会制定一个可行目标，而在更有力的促进措施下，中国能比其他主要经济体更快实现增长。
In the two sessions, national lawmakers and political advisers will be discussing how to strive for good performances in all areas of economic and social development while implementing regular epidemic prevention and control measures, according to Xinhua.
据新华社报道，两会期间，全国人大代表及政协委员将会讨论在常态化疫情防控下，经济社会发展的各方面如何力争好成绩。
Meanwhile, to ensure public health security, some arrangements for the session have been adjusted.
与此同时，为确保公共卫生安全，两会的一些安排也进行了调整。
According to Xinhua, the duration of the session has been shortened from two weeks to about one. There are fewer reporters covering the event, according to Global Times. Journalists who are overseas have not been invited to Beijing to report on the event this year. Meanwhile, news conferences and other interview activities are “appropriately streamlined and conducted in innovative forms, such as by video link,” chairman of the National People’s Congress Foreign Affairs Committee, Zhang Yesui, told Xinhua.
据新华社报道，两会的会期从两周缩短至一周左右。据《环球时报》报道，参与两会采访报道的记者数量也有所减少，今年不邀请境外记者临时来京采访。与此同时，新闻发布会等采访活动“将适当精简，创新形式，采用视频方式进行，”全国人大外事委员会主任委员张业遂在接受新华社采访时如此表示。
Given the need for continued COVID-19 containment, on May 13, the State Council’s executive meeting called for adopting new ways for taking in views and suggestions of national legislators and political advisers, including via video-link, phone calls and the internet.
考虑到目前仍处于疫情常态化防控的特殊情况，5月13日，国务院常务会议要求创新听取代表和委员意见建议的方式，通过视频、电话、网络等了解代表和委员反映的实情。
Technology is playing a key role in bringing the nation’s top political advisory body closer to the people.
科技这次发挥了关键作用，令我国政治协商的重要机构更加贴近人民群众。
The website of the CPPCC National Committee started to seek opinions and suggestions from netizens on May 8. It is a move that aims to help the national political advisers learn more about the opinions of the public before they gather in Beijing.
5月8日，中国人民政治协商会议全国委员会官方网站开始面向广大网民征集意见建议。这一举措旨在帮助全国政协委员们赴京履职之前，更好地了解民意。
“The new platform has helped the public share their ideas with CPPCC members on China’s major political, economic and social issues at the annual meeting,” according to China Daily.
据《中国日报》报道，“这一新平台有助于公众向全国政协委员在一年一度的会议上分享对于我国政治、经济、社会等重要议题的看法。”
