Systemic concerns: China’s party congress

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The Economist

News & Politics, News

4.4 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 22 May 2020

⏱️ 23 minutes

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Summary

Legislation signalled at the annual meeting undermines the “one country, two systems” approach to Hong Kong’s rule—and may inflame rather than quell protests. Argentina finds itself at the doorstep of default once again; the pandemic is sharpening the hardship ahead. And remembering the woman who expanded Irish poetry with the gloriously quotidian. For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/radiooffer

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.
0:10.0	Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.
0:18.0	Once again, Argentina is struggling with its debt. It's unlikely to be able to make a payment that's due today.
0:25.0	Negotiations will carry on, but the country's ninth default would only compound the misery that the pandemic has brought.
0:33.0	And before Ivan Boland made her name, there was little place for women in the poetry of Ireland.
0:39.0	There, the poet was a towering figure in epic histories.
0:43.0	But her verses brought searing insights into everyday life, and made women's voices essential.
0:56.0	First up, though.
1:03.0	The 13th National People's Congress opened in China today.
1:06.0	It began with 3,000 delegates and masks applauding the arrival of President Xi Jinping and the rest of the party leadership.
1:17.0	The event is largely about symbolism, setting out policies that are then rubber stamped by the delegates.
1:24.0	But this year, the gathering is taking place in the shadow of a bigger issue.
1:28.0	China has to deal with the political and economic consequences of the coronavirus, with discontent at home and criticism from abroad.
1:36.0	Planned policy changes emerging from the Congress are already proving controversial.
1:40.0	But for the Communist Party, those moves are plainly intended to signal confidence and control.
1:47.0	Well, I mean, the first big thing is that the National People's Congress China's annual rubber stamped parliament is taking place at all.
1:54.0	Simon Rebenovich is our Asia economics editor and is based in Shanghai.
1:57.0	It was delayed by more than three months.
2:00.0	And so this shows that the government believes they basically have coronavirus beaten and they're going ahead with the meeting.
2:06.0	The next big thing is that they've dropped their annual GDP target for the first time in 25 years.
2:14.0	And then the third big headline is a legislation which will be introduced targeting Hong Kong and basically limiting the judicial independence of the city of Hong Kong.
2:25.0	And what's the significance of that Hong Kong proposal?
	...

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