China's legislature to meet with economy, Ukraine backdrop

China’s 3,000-member ceremonial parliament will open its annual session Saturday with the government facing a slowing economy and international pressure over its refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

BEIJING -- China’s 3,000-member ceremonial parliament will open its annual session Saturday with the government facing a slowing economy and international pressure over its refusal to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

While domestic issues typically dominate the National People’s Congress, the war in Ukraine is highlighting the ideological confrontation between the American-led West and the competing world view of Beijing and Moscow.

Any discussion of the conflict is expected to muted, however, with the focus on boosting growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

The more than 3,000 delegates do little lawmaking — that’s handled by the congressional smaller Standing Committee, which meets year-round.