China Holds Annual Two Sessions Meetings Amid Global Pandemic

BEIJING, CHINA - MARCH 08: Members of China's Fire and Rescue, who are part of safety precautions, walk together after taking a group photo outside the second plenary session of the National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People on March 8, 2021 in Beijing, China. The annual political gatherings of the National Peoples Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, known as the Two Sessions, brings together Chinas leadership and lawmakers to set the blueprint for the coming year.  It is considered the most important event on the governments calendar and offers a rare glimpse at what President Xi Jinping and top officials see as priorities.  With the pandemic largely under control in China, discussions this year are expected to signal Beijings intentions around technology competition, control over Hong Kong, and strategic threats posed by Western countries including the United States. The political meetings, held at the Great Hall of the People at the edge of Tiananmen Square in central Beijing, can typically last for up to two weeks. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)