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 President Xi Jinping and other top leaders appeared without masks in
front of about 5,000 delegates from parliament, known as the
National People's Congress (NPC), and a government advisory body,
for the top annual political assembly.
Delegates travelling from across the country had to have multiple
coronavirus tests and they have been sequestered in hotels, while
media events and speeches have been moved online.
But there was no sign of social distancing at the opening session in
the Great Hall of the People with the delegates sitting side by side
in rows as usual.
Originally scheduled for early March, the NPC was delayed by more
than two months because of a nationwide lockdown to block the spread
of the coronavirus. The lockdown remained in place in the capital
until late April.
It is the first time the largely rubber-stamp parliament has been
delayed in 25 years and its staging, although late, is a clear show
of resolve by the government as it grapples with an economic
slowdown caused by the coronavirus.
"From a political perspective, it's important they hold it despite
the costs and risks involved because of coronavirus," said Graeme
Smith, fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian
National University.
"It's a symbol of strength and reassurance to the people but also to
the party," he said, referring to the ruling Communist Party.
As part of coronavirus checks, attendees had to submit details of
their travel and contacts in recent weeks, state media reported.
Some also had to spend time in quarantine.
State-media staff were quarantined for seven days and have been told
they can only move between their hotel and the media centre during
the week-long event.
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About 200 delegates from Hong Kong were bussed across to mainland China before
taking nucleic acid tests and flying to Beijing, where they had another test.
In the crowd of delegates gathering early on Friday, some wore face masks
decorated to match their ethnic costumes, which are typically worn during the
congress.
The few foreign reporters allowed to cover Friday's opening session had to
arrive on Thursday afternoon to submit a nucleic acid test, then had to stay in
a designated hotel to gain access to the hall off Tiananmen Square where the
congress is held.
As usual, authorities stepped up city-wide security before the congress, banning
large gatherings, boosting the police presence and setting up extra checkpoints
throughout the city.
The congress opens with a speech by the premier outlining goals for the coming
year.
During Friday's address, the shortest in 40 years, Premier Li Keqiang pledged to
step up stimulus spending.
In another break with tradition, the government declined to announce a target
for 2020 gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the first time since it began
announcing them in 1990.
The economy contracted by 6.8% in the first quarter as the coronavirus outbreak
paralysed production.
(Reporting by Cate Cadell, additional reporting by Yew Lun Tian; Editing by
Robert Birsel)
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