"Lianghui" or the "two sessions" refers to the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and its top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Usually held in early March, the COVID-19 pandemic this year led to their opening in Beijing being postponed until May 21-22.

That being said, what exactly are they?

History of the Two Sessions

The CPPCC was established earlier than the NPC, with the first plenary session of its National Committee held from Sept. 21-30, 1949.

The session adopted a "Common Program of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference" which bore the nature of a temporary constitution, and proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China.

It also designated the Chinese capital, national flag and national anthem.

The First Session of the First NPC was convened in September 1954. From 1959 onwards, the two bodies started synchronizing their annual meetings.

Since China adopted the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, the NPC and CPPCC convene on a regular base, with members reshuffled once every five years and plenary sessions held annually.

As neither of the two bodies needs to elect new members, and due to the impact of the pandemic, the two sessions will be shorter than usual this year.

In China, the NPC is composed of deputies elected by its local branches. Meanwhile, the CPPCC represents a party system with Chinese characteristics, in which the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) is engaged in democratic consultation with eight democratic parties and representatives from all areas of society in order to pool collective wisdom to make public policies and important decisions.

Characteristics and Functions of the NPC

The NPC is the highest organ of state power in China, and is currently composed of 2,975 deputies from across the country. It has the power to revise the constitution and supervise its implementation, as well as to make and amend laws.

The NPC is also responsible for

— electing the president and vice president of the People's Republic of China, and deciding on the choice of the premier of the State Council upon nomination by the president, the choice of other members composing the State Council upon the nomination by the premier;

— electing the chairman of the Central Military Commission, and deciding on the choice of other members composing the Central Military Commission upon nomination by the chairman of the Commission;

— electing the president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) and the procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

In terms of supervision, the NPC examines and approves the State Council's government work report, the plan for national economic and social development, and the state budget and the report on its implementation.

In its annual session this year, NPC deputies will listen to and review the work reports of the central government, the SPC and the SPP, as well as the report on the implementation of the national economic and social development plan.

It will also review the report on the state budget and its implementation, as well as review some amendments to various laws.

Composition and Functions of the CPPCC National Committee

The CPPCC National Committee is the top political advisory body in China, and currently has 2,158 members. It is composed of representatives from the ruling CPC and other democratic parties being the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, China Democratic League, China Democratic National Construction Association, China Association for Promoting Democracy, Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League.

Other members of the National Committee include personages without party affiliation, mass organizations, all ethnic groups, and sectors of society, compatriots from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and China's Taiwan region, returned overseas Chinese and specially invited public figures.

In general, its main duties are consultation, supervision and discussion of governance issues. During its annual session this year, members will also listen to and provide suggestions on the aforementioned reports with the NPC deputies.

NPC Motions and CPPCC Proposals

Membership of both the NPC and CPPCC lasts five years. Deputies of the NPC can submit motions, whilst members of the CPPCC National Committee can submit proposals.

The presidium of the NPC decides whether the submitted motions should be included in the conference's agenda or else passed on to relevant special committees for review. Meanwhile, proposals on key issues by members of the CPPCC National Committee are sent to the NPC or the government.

In addition, members of the two bodies can both offer suggestions and advice on the aforementioned reports, which must be replied to by the relevant departments.