Beijing’s political calendar marked a milestone as the 14th National People’s Congress fourth session concluded on March 12 at 3 PM. President Xi Jinping and Party-state dignitaries gathered at the Great Hall of the People for the closing proceedings.
The assembly ratified critical documents: the government work report, 15th Five-Year Plan framework, and Standing Committee report. It passed a slate of laws, prominently the Ecological and Environmental Code, Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law, and National Development Planning Law. Presidential Orders 70 through 73, signed by Xi, sealed their adoption.
Further approvals spanned 2025 development plan reviews, 2026 outlooks, budgets, Supreme Court and Procuratorate reports, and legal disposition summaries. Key dates: environmental code effective 2026-08-15, ethnic law 2026-07-01, planning law on publication.
Chairman Zhao Leji’s speech centered on following Party guidance, safeguarding people’s primacy and legal supremacy, and practicing full-cycle democracy. Improvements to NPC operations, optimal use of core political mechanisms, and legal assurances for plan goals were priorities. He instructed deputies to mirror public will, discharge duties per law, nurture people ties, and excel in roles.
With agendas fulfilled, Zhao proclaimed the session over, heralding advancements in environmental stewardship, social cohesion, strategic foresight, and legislative efficacy for China’s future prosperity.