The once-a-year meeting of China's national legislature kicks off Wednesday with all eyes on China's growth-target projections1 and military-spending plans.
中国人民政治协商会议第十二届全国委员会第二次会议3月3日在北京人民大会堂召开。一年一度的国家立法机关会议3月5日拉开序幕。所有人都密切关注着对于中国经济增长的预测和军费支出计划。
The
gathering2 of the National People's Congress at Beijing's Great Hall of the People usually doesn't generate much drama by itself. As the congress put it in a guide for reporters, "no new laws or major law
amendments3 are expected to be put before the legislators this year, and there will be no outstanding personnel changes for voting."
Still, the congress -- which goes by the English shorthand NPC -- provides China's top leaders with a platform to
sketch4 out their economic and policy goals for the year. Some of them appear at rare - if carefully managed - press conferences. Enterprising reporters might even catch key officials as they come and go from meetings or duck out for bathroom breaks.
Some major points of interest will be:
China's economic growth target for 2014: Last year, China held fast to a growth target of "about 7.5%," then just
eked5 past it with 7.7% growth for 2013. Most
economists6 believe Beijing will stick to the 7.5% rate but that it will become harder meet that target as the country's economy matures.
China's military spending: Last year China increased its
defense7 budget by 10.7% amid rising regional tensions with Japan and with Southeast Asian national over their
overlapping8 South China Sea claims. This year tensions have heightened even further after Japan's prime minister visited a controversial
shrine9. Another
ramp10 up would be further signs of China's desire to
flex11 its muscles regionally.
Financial reform: Any hints that China will ease capital controls, liberalize interest rates or make its currency more freely
convertible12. Experts don't expect broad moves from the NPC.
Social services: China may ramp up spending to address growing public demands for health care, better education, bigger pensions and other services.
Corruption13: Chinese leaders are in the midst of a broad-ranging campaign against
graft14 and waste. Austerity for officials is likely to be a message reinforced repeatedly. In the past, Chinese have combed online news photos of delegates pointing out their expensive clothes and accessories. This year they've been instructed to
eschew15（避免） fancy
banquets（宴会） and
tchotchkes（小玩意儿）.
National security: Don't expect it to be on the formal agenda, but leaders might let something slip following the deadly weekend knife attack in Kunming.
收听单词发音 
