China’s top political leaders, lawmakers and advisers from across the country have wrapped up Beijing’s major political gathering of the year known as the “Two Sessions.” The National People’s Congress or NPC concluded its annual session on Thursday. And Chinese Premier Li Keqiang addressed a range of important issues at a major press conference. Meanwhile, we are learning more about a meeting expected to take place in Alaska next week between Chinese and U.S. officials. We begin with this report from Beijing.

Joining the discussion:

• Victor Gao is Chair Professor at Soochow University
• Einar Tangen is a Political and Economic Affairs Commentator.
• James Moore is the founder and CEO of the Washington Institute for Business, Government and Society.
• Sourabh Gupta is a Resident Senior Fellow with the Institute of China-America Studies.

For more:

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed hope for China and the U.S. to hold discussions “in multiple areas and at various levels” as both countries prepare for next week’s meeting in Alaska. https://t.co/C93Kf0dwQG pic.twitter.com/13p6CkoBAl

— CGTN America (@cgtnamerica) March 11, 2021

China’s ‘two sessions’: Beijing promises level playing field but boosts support for state firms https://t.co/OliFvCfcBo

— South China Morning Post (@SCMPNews) March 10, 2021

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will meet Chinese Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 18.https://t.co/1lhTwzEZH5

— The Diplomat (@Diplomat_APAC) March 10, 2021