The annual Two Sessions has always been viewed as an excellent opportunity to observe China’s political trends and social development, but the best window for observation came when General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in delegations’ deliberations.

It is a unique political practice in China for the nation’s top leaders to directly participate in the discussions during the Two Sessions.

On the one hand, the Party and State leaders are also deputies to the National People’s Congress. Therefore, it is their duty to participate in the meetings of their delegations.

On the other hand, by participating in the meetings, leaders can hear directly the voices from the grassroots. They can also express their own opinions on related topics, and add value to the discussions on relevant issues and the promulgation of specific policies.

In the past five years, Xi Jinping has participated in the discussions of the different groups 30 times, when topics concerning poverty alleviation, livelihood, national unity, political ecology, environmental protection, and other fields.

During their discussions, many memorable quotations came up, including one comparing ethnicity unity with pomegranate seeds, not only guiding the development of various fields, but also providing the latest insights for people at home and abroad to understand China’s policy ideas and governance.

This year, General Secretary Xi Jinping has already described the Chinese system as “a new type of party system” and has stated the development of Inner Mongolia cannot just rely on the natural resources of “sheep, coal, soil, and gas.”