Source: BBC    Published: 2024-03-05

Editor's note: At 7:00 AM on March 5, 2024, the BBC News conducted a live interview during "Two Sessions" with Wang Wen, Executive Dean of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY), discussing the current major issues in China's economy, politics, etc., which have attracted widespread international attention. This is a typical case of RDCY actively promoting the Chinese voice in Western mainstream media after the first live interview with the BBC immediately in Taiwan's Local Elections this year. Previously, RDCY has also accepted BCC live interviews on many important occasions such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieved good results.

BBC: China's most high-profile political gathering is due to get underway in the next few hours. The meeting will lay out the government's version for the year ahead and will be closely watched. Firstly, a lot of focus will be on China's economic outlook and giving the headwinds it's facing from housing to municipal debt and growing youth umeployment. How do you think these will be addressed?

WANG Wen: Actually, you mentioned about the China's important political season, which we call "Two Sessions". The Two Sessions abbreviated as the National People's Congress(NPC) and the Chinese People's political Consultative Conference(CPPCC). I think it is an important season each year in China. More than 5000 representatives from all over the country hold one week meeting to discuss the annual government work report, including economic policy, social policy and foreign policy. And I think it's an important manifestation of Chinese style political democracy. This year, I think the most important focus as you ask, that is economic recovery. How to maintain economic growth of around 5% and enable more Chinese people to achieve a better life is a focus of the Two Sessions. For example, how to attract more foreign investment and how to stimulate the economy and how to maintain a peaceful external environment, etc. Paying Attention to the Two Sessions is very important for understanding current China.

BBC: Yes, understanding the economic policies that might be rolled down is very important. On the political front as well, lots to watch over since being appointed last year. How should outsiders be looking in interpreting these actions by China?

WANG Wen: Actually, I think if you are talking about those very sensitive political information about China, you can know and understand a lot through Two Sessions. Because the information of China's Two Sessions is comparatively transparent compared to the past. Because 12 yrs ago, I was also a journalist and interviewd the Two Sessions. As a journalist, we can touch with a lot of representatives. This year, there are over 1000 international journalists, who can touch and interview those representatives, to join and report two sessions. Thousands of news are reported every day. So I think as long as you follow the updates of the Two Sessions, you can receive lots of information. My suggestion is to trust China as much as possible, believe China could develop in a better direction, and don't think China in wrong or negative directions.