China's economy of 'great concern' as annual political meeting to kick off

China’s annual political conclave kicks off in Beijing on March 4, with officials saying the flagging economy and youth unemployment are of “great concern” as they lay out plans for the coming year.

China's annual political conclave kicks off in Beijing on March 4, with officials saying the flagging economy and youth unemployment are of "great concern" as they lay out plans for the coming year.

Armed police and public security workers are ubiquitous on Beijing streets as thousands of delegates arrive for the beginning of the annual "Two Sessions" gatherings.

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Proceedings kick off Monday at 3:00 p.m. (0700 GMT) with the opening ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) - attended by President Xi Jinping and other party top brass - which will last until Sunday, March 10.

At a press conference on March 3, CPPCC spokesperson Liu Jieyi said that "economic topics are of great concern" to the body's more than two thousand members.

So, too, was "the employment of young people, especially fresh graduates", he said, with youth unemployment officially at around 15% at the end of 2023, after the statistics bureau adjusted its calculation methods.

Monday's CPPCC is relatively low-stakes compared to the near-simultaneous gathering of the country's legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC).