Two Sessions
{{Use American English|date = January 2019}}
{{Short description|Political term in China}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = January 2019}}
{{Chinese
| name = Two Sessions
| order = st
| s = {{linktext|两|会}}
| t = {{linktext|兩|會}}
| p = Liǎnghuì
| w = Liang3 Hui4
| l = two sessions
| c =
}}
{{For|Chinese Protestantism|Lianghui (Protestantism)}}The Two Sessions ({{Lang-zh|s=两会}}) is the collective term for the annual plenary sessions of the National People's Congress and of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which are typically both held every March at the Great Hall of the People in Xicheng, Beijing around the same dates.{{Cite news |last=Davidson |first=Helen |date=2023-03-01 |title=Explainer: what is China's 'two sessions' gathering, and why does it matter? |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/02/china-two-sessions-explainer-what-is-it |access-date=2023-03-04 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=March 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230331223957/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/02/china-two-sessions-explainer-what-is-it |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=3 March 2023 |title=All you need to know about China's 'Two Sessions' |language=en |website=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/3/all-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-two-sessions |url-status=live |access-date=2023-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230426004723/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/3/all-you-need-to-know-about-chinas-two-sessions |archive-date=April 26, 2023}} The Two Sessions last for about ten days.{{Cite book |last=Li |first=David Daokui |title=China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict |date=2024 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0393292398 |location=New York, NY |author-link=David Daokui Li}}{{Rp|pages=61-62}}
During the Two Sessions, the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) hear and discuss reports from the premier of the State Council, the president of the Supreme People's Court, and the procurator-general.{{Rp|pages=61-62}}
Other uses of the term
{{Further|Internet censorship in China}}
During the 2011 Chinese pro-democracy protests, the term for the Two Sessions in Chinese, lianghui, became a covert means of avoiding Internet censorship.{{Cite news |last=Page |first=Jeremy |date=February 24, 2011 |title=Chinese Push for 'Jasmine' Protests Continues |language=en-US |website=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704520504576162244110569256 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209204737/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704520504576162244110569256 |archive-date=December 9, 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Kent |first=Jo Ling |author-link=Jo Ling Kent |date=February 25, 2011 |title=Organizers call for second round of demonstrations across China |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/china.jasmine.protests/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204122008/http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/02/25/china.jasmine.protests/index.html |archive-date=December 4, 2021 |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=CNN |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Keats |first=Jonathon |author-link=Jonathon Keats |date=May 31, 2011 |title=Jargon Watch: Antilaser, Steppenwolf Planets, Diabetes Belt |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/05/st-jw-antilaser/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819173033/https://www.wired.com/2011/05/st-jw-antilaser/ |archive-date=August 19, 2022 |access-date=2023-04-30 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |volume=19 |issue=6 |issn=1059-1028}} When PRC censors attempted to limit news of the Arab Spring by disabling internet searches for Chinese words such as "Egypt," "Tunisia," and "jasmine", protest organizers urged bloggers and activists to call planned protests lianghui. If the government were to censor this dissenters' circumlocution, it would effectively block internet news about the governmental NPC and CPPCC meetings.
See also
References
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