This year’s annual sessio­ns could be the shorte­st in decade­s due to Covid-19 concer­nsBEIJING: China announced on Wednesday that its parliament will open a key annual session on May 22, signalling that Beijing sees the country returning to normal after being reduced to a near-standstill for months by the Covid-19 epidemic. The Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), an advisory body to parliament, has proposed starting its annual session a day before the parliamentary session opens. Parliament is also expected to discuss the anti-government protests in Hong Kong, amid growing speculation that Beijing take steps to strengthen its grip on the city. Usually more than 5,000 delegates descend on Beijing from all over China for at least 10 days. Beijing city plans to ease quarantine rules as early as Thursday, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters, ahead of the key political meetings.

Source: The Express Tribune April 29, 2020 08:03 UTC