The annual session of the Chinese Parliament begins: they will discuss tensions with Taiwan, birth control and the consumption of dog meat

The agenda of the annual session of the Chinese Parliamentwhich opens this Sunday, includes bills on subjects as diverse as the birth rate, the animal welfare, sex education oh Taiwan.

To be adopted, the proposals must first be approved by the leaders of the the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the highest body of power within the Asian power.

Here are some of the proposals:

Deputy Li Yihu indicated that he would present proposals to promote the “civil exchanges” with Taiwana democratic island that the beijing diet considered part of its territory.

Li recalled that “Beijing’s overall strategy to resolve the Taiwan issue” has been strengthened over the past year, adding that “mainland China will speed up national unification.”

Several deputies want to present proposals to revive the birth rate in the country.

Among them are the free education until the end of university for all children born after 2024, or the extension of maternity leave – until now reserved for full-time employees – to self-employed businesswomen and peasant women.

It also plans to grant single women the same rights as married women and to lift restrictions on the registration of children born out of wedlock in the civil registry.

The congressman and tech entrepreneur Li Dongsheng wants to pass a law on cyberbullying, especially after the suicide of a young woman who suffered a campaign of attacks on the networks after posting a photo with hair dyed pink.

The country currently does not have a legal definition of cyberbullying.

Deputy Chen Wei recommends that crèches have teaching materials of sex education.

Your colleague Fang Yan He defends to regulate the “chaos” of digital influencers for young people and to improve the supervision of live content in which children appear.

Deputy Zhao Wanping wants to fight the kill cats and dogs as well as against the trade and consumption of their meat.

The same legislator proposes to accede to “the request of the population to be able to shoot fireworks” during the holidays.

The use of these rockets is regulated or even prohibited in many cities for safety reasons and for the noise pollution they can generate. Zhao proposes that special areas be activated.

Deputy Wang Yongan employee of a delivery company, wants me to China celebrate a “Delivery day” recognize the work of millions of workers in the digital commerce and home food delivery, which has become essential in urban life.

Li Dongsheng He also suggested that workers’ compensation be extended to “flex workers”, which includes delivery drivers or ride-hailing app drivers.

China’s two legislative bodies are holding their annual plenary meetings in Biejing this weekend, with the participation of more than 3,000 representatives from all regions of this country of more than 1,400 million inhabitants.

The ritual of “liang hui”or “two sessions”, rarely holds surprises, since their votes are tightly controlled and the laws have been previously approved by the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the highest body of Asian power.

But the deliberations of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People’s Congress (ANP) will make it possible to perceive the orientations and priorities of the country.

Observers will mainly analyze decisions in economic matters, after the end of three years of zero covid.

Here are some key points from these encounters:

The first, which begins on Saturday, brings together the members of the CCPP, made up of representatives of ethnic minorities, religious cults, the business world and the fields of sport or art.

This instance includes several celebrities, such as the basketball player Yao Ming or the actor Jackie Chan.

But its real weight is reduced. Its main function is to formulate policy suggestions which generally have little impact at the national level.

The second and most important meeting, starting on Sunday, will be that of the National People’s Congress (ANP), the Chinese Parliament, in Great Hall of the People of Beijingon one side of the Tiananmen Square.

Two-thirds of lawmakers are CCP members, and their votes will essentially validate Party decisions at the state level.

China is doing its best to avoid embarrassing incidents during the parliamentary session, which the Communist Party touts as proof that it is accountable to the people despite its monopoly of power.

Authorities close factories in the region on these days to ensure blue skies, deploy large numbers of police and urge – and sometimes force – political dissidents to go on “holidays” away from the capital.

It’s also the only time of year when the country’s most powerful politicians gather in one place, which encourages behind-the-scenes negotiations, networking and backstabbing.

Every five years, the president is also appointed. During this session, the assembly must approve an unprecedented third mandate for Xi Jinpingwho at the end of last year was ratified as general secretary of the CPC.

This meeting will also be the first since China reversed its strict policy of “zero covid”although attendees and media were asked to quarantine in a hotel the day before the start.

The post-pandemic economic recovery will be the focus, with analysts predicting GDP growth of 5.3% in 2023, a figure considered modest by Chinese standards.

A statement released this week said the meetings will include discussions on “a plan for reforming Party and state institutions,” leading experts to speculate about a possible overhaul of the national security apparatus.

The publication of details of the military spending will offer signs of China’s confidence in the current geopolitical conditions, tensions in the Taiwan Strait to the conflict in Ukraine.

(With information from AFP)

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