Nearly 3,000 delegates from across China took their seats in a cavernous auditorium inside the Great Hall of the People, beneath a giant red star. Chinese TV and state-run social-media accounts collectively devoted dozens of hours to the congress over the past week. Beneath the pageantry of the congress, senior officials strongly reinforced the message of his total authority over the past week. At the congress, officials sought to project confidence. On the opening morning of the congress, Wang Daowen, a delegate from the inland province of Hubei, strode across a chandeliered reception gallery toward the east gate of the Great Hall, having just listened to Li deliver the government’s work report.

Source: Wall Street Journal March 11, 2024 11:52 UTC