China ditches annual press conference for premier Li

The news: Premier of China, Li Qiang, will not hold a press conference at the close of the country’s annual parliamentary meeting, a tradition that had been carried out since 1993. This year's meeting will take place on Tuesday, and analysts are expecting Beijing to set its annual growth rate for 2024 at around 5%.

The numbers: China’s manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) stood at 49.1 in February, down from 49.2 in January, according to data released by the country’s National Bureau of statistics last week. A reading below 50 indicates contraction.

The context: A spokesperson for to the National People’s Congress explained that no such press conferences will be made by Li, the country's second in charge, at the conclusion of each year’s meeting for the remainder of China’s parliament, ending in 2027.

The move could be a sign that the premier’s authority is diminishing while Xi Jinping remains president, and that the country could be heading towards greater isolation. China’s premiers have historically taken the press conference as an opportunity to address questions from Chinese and foreign journalists, clarifying policies on the back of the NPC gathering. Christopher Beddor, deputy China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics told Bloomberg that cancelling the yearly briefing removes a key vehicle for the government to convey its plans in informal language and to respond to criticisms.