The Pomp and Politics of China's Annual Congress
For almost two weeks, the Great Hall of the People in Beijing takes center stage.
The National People's Congress is many things. It's China's top legislative body and a rubber stamp for policies hammered out behind closed doors by the ruling Communist Party. It's the only time each year that many top officials in the world's second-biggest economy face the press. Above all, it's a master class in orchestration. The pageantry concludes March 15.