中共为什么取消总理记者会？｜两会｜总理记者会｜国务院｜李强｜习近平｜朱镕基｜温家宝｜李克强｜王局拍案20240306

Summary

本视频讨论了中国两会的政治生活和影响，特别是总理新闻发布会的取消。讲述者指出，虽然两会被宣传为年度最大政治事件，但实际内容高度预设，真正的新闻往往在于参与者的表情和行为。今年，国务院总理李强在两会后不举行新闻发布会，打破了30多年的惯例，引发了国内外的广泛关注和猜测。视频进一步探讨了这一决定背后的可能原因，包括政府对媒体控制的加强和国家机器运作的内部逻辑变化。

Takeaways

• 📅 中国两会已开幕，全国人民代表大会和政治协商会议分别在3月4日和5日召开。
• 🏛️ 两会是中国政治生活中的重要事件，每年都会受到广泛关注。
• 🔍 两会的新闻报道通常被认为是预先编排好的，结果似乎都是早有安排。
• 🗣️ 在两会期间，会议的热点往往不是会议本身，而是与会人员的表情、行为等细节。
• 📣 今年不再举行总理的新闻发布会，这一变化引发了国内外的广泛关注和猜测。
• 🤔 关于取消总理新闻发布会的理由存在多种解释，但公众和媒体对这些解释的接受度不一。
• 📡 历史上，总理的新闻发布会被视为与国内外媒体交流的重要窗口。
• 🚫 今年的两会被描述为更加简约，并且缩短了会期。
• 👥 对于中国的政治透明度和媒体自由，取消总理新闻发布会引发了更广泛的讨论和担忧。
• 🔄 此次变化可能标志着中国政府对媒体开放程度的一个转变点。

Q & A

什么是中国的两会？

两会指的是中国人民政治协商会议全国委员会的年会（简称政协全会）和全国人民代表大会的年会（简称人大全会）。这是中国一年中最重要的政治事件之一，通常在3月初举行。

为什么两会的新闻报道通常不会成为新闻？

因为两会的内容通常是提前编排好的，很少有意外发生，所以关于两会本身的新闻报道往往不会引起太大关注。

每年两会后总理举行新闻发布会的惯例是什么时候开始的？

这一惯例已经持续了30多年，起始于1980年代末。

今年两会为什么没有安排总理新闻发布会？

据报道，考虑到今年的特殊情况，决定不安排总理的新闻发布会。而且在未来几年的全国人大会议期间，也可能不会安排总理新闻发布会，除非有特殊情况发生。

取消总理新闻发布会后，公众和媒体如何获得两会信息？

尽管取消了总理的新闻发布会，但会议将通过代表通道、部长通道和其他多样化的采访活动以及新闻发布会等方式，为中外记者提供采访机会，以保持开放和透明度。

为什么中国新闻网的记者会提前知道总理不会举行新闻发布会？

这个问题引起了外界的猜测，有人认为这可能是提前安排好的，因为记者的提问和官方的回答非常吻合，似乎显示出记者事先已经知道会有这样的安排。

取消总理新闻发布会引起了怎样的国内外反应？

这一决定在国内外引起了广泛关注。国内，对政治新闻感兴趣的公众人士对这一变化反应强烈；而在国外，尤其是外国媒体中，这被视为中国减少与外界沟通的一个标志。

中国的两会有哪些特色和重要性？

两会是中国政治生活中的一件大事，不仅是审议和通过国家重要政策法规的场所，也是展现中国政府工作报告和未来方向的平台。对外界来说，两会提供了了解中国内政和经济发展方向的窗口。

今年两会的持续时间是多久，与往年相比如何？

今年两会只持续了7天，相比之下，历史上最长的两会持续了14天。这表明今年的会议被大大简化，一方面可能是出于节约的考虑。

取消总理新闻发布会的决定背后的可能原因是什么？

虽然官方给出了几个理由，如经济社会发展问题已经被充分讨论和解决，但也有观点认为可能是为了避免敏感问题的提问。

Outlines

00:00

📅 两会开幕与媒体报道

中国的两会（全国人民政治协商会议和全国人民代表大会）是每年中国政治生活中的重要事件。报道通常遵循事先准备的脚本，真正的新闻往往是关于会议细节以外的事情，如投票表情或特定事件。本年度两会前夕，全国人民代表大会新闻发言人宣布，与传统不同，今年会后不会举行总理新闻发布会，除非有特殊情况。这一决定在国内外引起了广泛关注和猜测，但国内对此的公开讨论受到了严格控制。

05:01

🔍 取消总理新闻发布会的影响

取消总理新闻发布会对内对外都有重大影响。对外媒来说，这场年度发布会是与中国总理互动的唯一机会，对了解中国社会和政策方向至关重要。取消的决定引发了外媒的广泛猜测，尽管外交部发言人试图保持开放和透明的态度，但具体取消原因未被明确。中国官方给出的理由包括上届会议已经全面阐述了经济社会发展的关键问题，以及通过三份报告（政府工作报告、计划报告和预算报告）向社会和媒体充分披露了相关信息。

10:05

🤔 分析取消新闻发布会的深层原因

分析认为，取消新闻发布会的官方理由站不住脚，暗示可能有更深层的政治和经济原因。例如，增加部长级新闻发布会和其他采访活动被视为替代，但这可能会增加其他高级官员的压力。同时，提到的节俭管理理由与实际情况不符，反而暗示了国内政治过程的形式化和对外交互动的限制。

15:07

📚 中国总理新闻发布会的历史回顾

自1988年以来，中国总理的新闻发布会一直是政府与媒体互动的重要渠道，尤其是对外媒而言。早期的发布会更加开放，外媒可以自由提问。随着时间的推移，这些发布会逐渐转向更多地关注国内事务，同时对外媒的问题进行预审和控制。尽管如此，这些发布会仍然被视为外界理解中国政府政策方向的一个重要窗口。

20:07

💡 总理新闻发布会的变化与意义

总理新闻发布会的取消标志着一个时代的结束。这一决定反映出中国政府与媒体交流的限制，以及对外开放程度的缩减。尽管官方给出了多种理由，但分析认为这可能与政治动态、权力结构的变化以及对国内外舆论环境控制的加强有关。

25:13

🔮 预测未来的政治沟通策略

取消总理新闻发布会可能是中国政府调整其对内对外沟通策略的一部分，这表明了权力集中和信息控制的加强。同时，这一决定可能对中国的国际形象和与世界的互动产生长远影响，特别是在透明度和开放性方面。

30:14

🤐 新闻发布会取消的深层分析

详细探讨了取消总理新闻发布会背后的可能原因，包括国内外政治经济环境的变化、与习近平总书记关系的影响，以及中国政府对信息控制的需求。分析认为，这一决定反映了政治权力的集中以及对政治形象管理的重视。

35:16

🌏 对中国及全球的影响

讨论了取消总理新闻发布会对中国政治生态和国际关系可能产生的影响。这一变化可能会影响外界对中国政府政策方向的理解，同时凸显了中国政府在国际交流中更加谨慎和控制的态度。

Keywords

💡两会

“两会”是中国人民政治协商会议全国委员会（简称政协）和全国人民代表大会（简称人大）的年度会议的通称。这是中国政治生活中的重大事件，涵盖了国家的重要政策讨论和决定。视频中提到每当两会召开，都是中国人民政治生活中的大事，表明两会对中国政治生态的重要性。

💡总理记者会

总理记者会是指中国国务院总理在两会结束后举行的新闻发布会，是总理回答中外记者提问的机会。视频中提到，今年两会后不再举行总理记者会，这是过去30年来的首次，表明政府对外交流政策的重大调整。

💡公开透明

“公开透明”指的是政府工作和决策过程对公众和媒体开放，保证信息的公开性和透明度。视频中谈到取消总理记者会与过去强调的政府开放透明政策不符，反映出政府信息公开态度的变化。

💡预设脚本

“预设脚本”指的是某些事件或活动的发展和结果按照事先计划好的剧本进行。视频中指出，两会的新闻往往因为一切预先设定，而不成为新闻，暗示政治事件和讨论缺乏真实性和 spontaneity。

💡舆论控制

“舆论控制”是指政府或其他权力机构通过各种手段控制公众讨论和媒体报道，以影响公众观点。视频中提到，在国内对取消总理记者会的新闻下几乎没有评论和讨论，显示出舆论被严格控制的情况。

💡国务院

国务院是中国政府的行政机构，负责国家日常事务的管理。视频中提到，总理是国务院的领导人，而总理记者会被视为了解国务院工作和政策的重要窗口，取消记者会影响了这种透明度。

💡节俭办会

“节俭办会”指的是以节约资源和成本为原则举办会议或活动。视频中提到，今年两会强调节俭办会，但作者质疑取消总理记者会的节俭理由，认为这与提高效率和节约成本的目的不符。

💡橡皮图章

“橡皮图章”形容那些只是形式上批准或认证决策的机构或个人，没有实际的决策权。视频在提到全国人民代表大会时使用了这一表述，暗示其在决策过程中的角色较为被动。

💡外媒关注

“外媒关注”指的是外国媒体对某一事件或话题的报道和兴趣。视频中提到，取消总理记者会引起了外媒的广泛关注。

Highlights

中国的两会已经开幕。

两会被认为是中国政治生活中的最大事件。

关于两会的新闻特点是事先都有安排。

两会的新闻往往关注投票时的表情或者其他细节。

本年度全国人大新闻发言人宣布，今年不会举行总理的新闻发布会。

这种做法已经持续了30多年。

取消总理新闻发布会引起了国内外的巨大反应。

国内对这一消息的评论和分享都受到了控制。

国际媒体对这一变化表现出了极大的关注。

解释取消总理新闻发布会的原因显得不充分。

提出以节约开支为由，但对此理由表示怀疑。

讨论中国总理新闻发布会的历史。

指出总理新闻发布会逐渐从关注外媒转向关注国内报道。

分析显示李强可能是自己决定不举行新闻发布会。

强调国务院成为中共中央执行机关的变化。

总结中国政治现实的变化，对中国社会发展的影响。

Transcripts

The meeting has started, the meeting has started!

China's Two Sessions have opened.

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference opens on March 4th, and the National People's Congress opens on March 5th.

This is the biggest event of the year in the political life of the Chinese people.

Every time the Two Sessions open, People's Daily and Xinhua News Agency always say this.

As for whether it is or not, we don't know.

The news about the Two Sessions has one characteristic,

which is that the news about the Two Sessions itself hardly becomes news,

because it's all scripted in advance.

Are there any objections?

No.

No.

No, no, approved.

Everyone tacitly understands each other,

what the outcome will be beforehand, you know it before we even vote.

But the news about the Two Sessions often becomes news,

like who had what expression when voting,

or who was carried out, etc.

These become the hot spots that domestic and foreign media pay attention to during the Two Sessions.

Sometimes they also become major news.

This year is no exception.

On March 4th, the day before the National People's Congress convened,

the spokesperson for the National People's Congress, Lou Qinjian,

held a press conference.

He answered some procedural questions about this year's National People's Congress meeting.

At this press conference, a big news broke.

I am a reporter from China News Service, Chinanews.com.

After the closing of the 14th National People's Congress's second session this year,

will you invite the Premier of the State Council to attend a press conference

and answer questions from Chinese and foreign journalists, thank you.

Taking all these arrangements into consideration,

after the closing of the 14th National People's Congress's second session this year,

there will not be a Premier's press conference.

Unless there are special circumstances, in the next few years of this National People's Congress,

there will also be no Premier's press conference.

Actually, the question asked by this China News Service reporter is somewhat intriguing.

Think about it, every year after the Two Sessions,

the Premier always holds a press conference.

This practice has been going on for over 30 years.

So why, before this year's press conference,

did the China News Service reporter ask such a question?

Asking whether the Premier will still hold a press conference,

and her question and Comrade Lou Qinjian's

responses matched perfectly together.

It seems like the China News Service reporter already knew in advance

that Premier Li Qiang will not hold a press conference after this year's Two Sessions.

So, what a coincidence,

it appears this was arranged in advance.

Definitely, Comrade Lou Qinjian had already informed the China News Service reporter

that Premier Li Qiang will not hold a press conference after this year's Two Sessions.

But, I'm too embarrassed to say it outright, so look, you ask,

I'll answer.

So, that's how this news came about.

It should be said that after this news broke,

it immediately caused a huge reaction both domestically and internationally.

But I need to correct that statement.

When I say it caused a huge reaction domestically and internationally,

domestically, it has to be divided into two parts.

First, there are the ordinary citizens within the country,

anyone who cares about current political news would have a huge reaction.

Because, after all, the Premier's press conference after the Two Sessions every year

is something many people care about and want to watch, and it has very high viewership ratings. But now, it's not happening.

Then, the reason it's not happening is something everyone is speculating about,

so, of course, this is a huge reaction.

But, you wouldn't know it from public opinion.

I've observed, including on Sina Weibo and Toutiao,

posts about this news, and there are almost no comments below them.

Nothing, zero.

And in the share section, there are no opinions, just shares.

So what is it? All comments and shares are being controlled.

Now, if you search for "Premier's press conference canceled" on Sina Weibo,

according to legal regulations, it is no longer displayed.

Also, NetEase had once made an article a few years ago

called "The Past and Present of the Premier's Press Conference",

which was deleted shortly after this press conference.

Because that article reviewed the history of the Premier's press conferences,

and talked about government openness, transparency, etc.,

all of which were "shot down" in the process and deleted.

But in the foreign media part, there's indeed a lot of attention.

Think about it, China's Premier's press conference has two features.

The first feature

is that it's the foreign media reporters' once-a-year, almost only opportunity

to interact with the Premier of China's State Council.

Because these premiers of China's State Council

don't usually engage in interviews or press conferences with foreign reporters,

the only opportunity is after the Two Sessions,

there's this press conference.

And during this press conference,

foreign media reporters often get the opportunity to ask questions, so it's very valuable.

That's one point.

The second point

is that the Premier's press conference often serves as a barometer of issues.

The questions he answers

also serve as a very important window for understanding Chinese society.

So think about it,

if it's not happening anymore, and it's been happening for 30 years until it suddenly stopped this year,

foreign media start to speculate about the reasons.

Sure enough, on March 5th,

when Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was answering questions from foreign reporters,

A reporter from Agence France-Presse immediately asked a question about this issue.

Regarding the news arrangements for the second session of the 14th National People's Congress.

This morning, the spokesperson of the conference has already introduced the relevant situation.

I don't have any more information to add.

During the Two Sessions, all meetings of the conference will be open to both Chinese and foreign media.

At the opening ceremony, Premier Li Qiang will represent the State Council.

And deliver a government work report to the second session of the 14th National People's Congress.

In addition to the NPC press conference held this morning,

The conference will also organize press conferences, delegate corridors, ministerial passages,

Delegations, open group events, and other diverse interview activities to fully release information.

The press center of the Two Sessions will also uphold the spirit of openness and transparency.

Providing news services for Chinese and foreign journalists.

Clearly, Mao Ning did not dare to make any private interpretations.

So why was the Prime Minister's press conference canceled?

This time, in fact, when Lou Qinjian answered,

He roughly gave three reasons.

The first reason he mentioned is,

After the closing of the first session of the 14th National People's Congress,

Comrade Li Qiang, in answering questions from Chinese and foreign journalists,

Thoroughly expounded on the key issues of economic and social development that the media and society are generally concerned about,

And government self-construction, around the full implementation of the spirit of the 20th Party Congress and the decision-making deployment of the Party Central Committee.

And made an in-depth explanation, clearly outlining the work approach for the entire term.

It's like this, clarifying the matters of 5 years all at once.

Meaning, he has explained everything for the next 5 years in this manner.

That's the idea.

This reason is definitely not valid.

Think about our government work report,

It's always about the work of this year.

If Li Qiang had to do last year's government work report,

He couldn't possibly have clarified the situation for the next 5 years.

If he did clarify,

Then what does that imply?

It implies that for the past 30 years,

The annual press conferences held by the Prime Minister were superfluous.

You could have done it just once, right?

Then why hold the other four times? Aren't they redundant?

So if Premier Li Qiang clarified last year, there's no need to do it in the coming years.

This reason is definitely not valid.

That's the first point.

The second point,

The second session of the 14th National People's Congress is about to open tomorrow.

Premier Li Qiang will deliver a government work report.

The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance, entrusted by the State Council,

Will submit a plan report and a budget report to the congress in writing.

It should be said that the main concerns of society

Are specifically addressed in the above three reports.

These three reports, once approved by the congress, will be published to the public.

The media and the public will be able to easily understand the relevant content.

Whether this reason is valid or not, I think it's not valid either.

Because these three reports, don't you have them every year at the Two Sessions?

Which Two Sessions did the Prime Minister not deliver a government work report,

The NDRC not deliver this plan report, the Ministry of Finance not deliver a budget report?

They all did.

Then why did past Prime Ministers still come out to accept interviews from journalists?

If this reason is valid,

Does it mean that the Prime Ministers of the Communist Party over the past 30-plus years

Accepting media interviews were all redundant?

If this logic holds, wouldn't it lead to such a conclusion?

That Wen Jiabao and Zhu Rongji were all redundant,

Being redundant for over 30 years

Until this government finally corrected the mistake?

Could this conclusion be drawn? Probably not.

That's the second point.

The third point,

The press center of the conference

Will increase the number of sessions and attendees for ministerial press conferences and ministerial passages.

Inviting principal officials from relevant departments of the State Council

To answer questions from Chinese and foreign journalists on topics such as diplomacy, economy, and people's livelihood.

Authoritative interpretation of relevant policies and measures,

Deep interpretation and explanation of social concerns.

Additionally, there will be open delegation group activities and good management of delegate corridors, etc.,

Providing more interview opportunities for Chinese and foreign journalists.

That means you journalists will still have opportunities to interview.

But I guess after he said that,

Foreign Minister Wang Yi must have been trembling inside.

Why?

Think about it, last year Qin Gang served as the Foreign Minister

And he held a press conference, right?

I knew today that the Taiwan issue would definitely be brought up,

So I specifically brought the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.

So, to answer your question,

First, I would like to quote two sentences from the preamble of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China.

But a few days after this press conference, what happened? The person disappeared.

Vanished from the face of the Earth, to this day, neither alive nor found dead.

Now think about it, this year even the Prime Minister isn't showing up,

So the Foreign Minister becomes the highest-ranking official appearing.

That's an ominous sign.

Last year, Qin Gang brought out the Constitution

And it didn't save his position.

Now, if the Foreign Minister comes out under these circumstances,

Surely many foreign media journalists

Will ask the current Foreign Minister the questions meant for the Prime Minister.

If there's even a slight mishap,

It's definitely possible he might follow Qin Gang's fate.

So, the reasons given now don't hold up,

And he also gave another reason.

Saying that this year's Two Sessions should be frugally managed,

Comrade Lou Qinjian emphasized the importance of frugality in holding the Two Sessions.

Why should the annual meeting be frugally managed?

Look, the pandemic is over, right? Are we living frugally now?

I guess that's the reasoning.

And it can also be seen from the duration of the sessions,

This year's Two Sessions only last for 7 days.

You should know, historically, the National People's Congress has lasted up to 14 days at its longest.

But this year it's only 7 days. What does this 7 days mean?

7 days means it's on par with the three years during the pandemic.

Shorter than last year's 9 days, this so-called frugal management of the Two Sessions.

But I'm thinking, this reason for frugality doesn't seem very sufficient,

Think about it, how much could a press conference with the Prime Minister cost?

It's just a bit of the Prime Minister's energy, right?

Some tea for the attendees, a translator,

And then the National People's Congress renting a venue at the Great Hall of the People.

All in all, I think 500,000 yuan should be enough for a press conference.

Then think about it, if you save this 500,000, what do you lose?

You lose a window for the Prime Minister to interact with the public,

And an opportunity to deal with both domestic and foreign media. That's a greater loss.

If you really want to hold a frugal Two Sessions, even these 7 days are a bit much.

Why? Everyone knows the National People's Congress is just a rubber stamp.

Bringing delegates to Beijing, causing inconvenience and wasting resources,

Really isn't necessary.

In fact, in my view, the National People's Congress could just use Zoom or DingTalk.

Actually, that could work and save a lot of money.

But have you thought about the consequences of saving this money?

Then you're solidifying the National People's Congress as a mere rubber stamp.

Is it just rubber then?

Why are you bringing all these National People's Congress delegates to Beijing now?

It's to tell people around the world,

You may think it's a rubber stamp, but we don't think so.

See, they all came to Beijing for the meeting,

And they're clapping formally there,

Voting during the meeting, even casting votes.

Of course, if we're talking about substance,

These procedures could indeed be spared, unnecessary.

Using DingTalk, Zoom,

Any objections? Any objections?

No, no, no, then it's passed.

But then it makes people feel that the rubber stamp is confirmed.

In my view, if you also cancel the Prime Minister's press conference,

Then the loss is actually great.

The Prime Minister hardly has any power to begin with,

And now you're removing this formality of the Prime Minister meeting with journalists.

Doesn't that further prove the Prime Minister has no presence?

Isn't that a greater loss?

So, in my view, Comrade Lou Qinjian's four reasons do not hold water.

So, what exactly is the reason for the Prime Minister's cancellation of the press conference this time?

Next, I'll discuss my reasons.

Before answering this question,

We need to briefly review the history of China's Prime Minister's press conferences.

The first press conference of China's Prime Minister took place in 1988,

After the second session of the seventh NPC, with Li Peng leading the vice premiers of the State Council,

Including the Foreign Minister,

Sitting there to take questions from Chinese and foreign journalists.

I still remember

That year's press conference

Was not just the Prime Minister answering questions,

Vice Premier Zhu Rongji answered questions too,

Including Yao Yilin.

When Yao Yilin was answering questions,

Those questions were definitely prepared in advance,

So when Yao Yilin was answering,

He was also looking at the prepared questions on a small piece of paper.

After 1988, there was no Prime Minister's press conference in 1989,

As everyone knows what happened in 1989,

After the Tiananmen Square incident, Beijing was in chaos,

So the Prime Minister did not hold a press conference.

There were conferences in 1990 and 1991, but not in 1992,

Because in 1992 Deng Xiaoping embarked on his southern tour,

At a time of intense intra-party conflict.

Deng Xiaoping held a high-level party meeting in Zhuhai,

Calling military representatives to the meeting in Zhuhai,

Saying anyone who doesn't reform should get out.

At that time, Jiang Zemin in Beijing was still in the dark,

That is, Jiang Zemin, as the party's supreme leader, was not invited to the meeting.

So Beijing was watching Deng Xiaoping in the south,

Holding this meeting without knowing how to respond.

So no one dared to hold the press conference during the Two Sessions,

Because they were uncertain of Deng Xiaoping's attitude.

Therefore, the Prime Minister's press conference in 1992 was cancelled under such circumstances.

But from 1993 onwards, China's Prime Minister's press conferences continued without interruption,

Never missing a year.

Under Prime Minister Zhu Rongji,

The press conference was no longer attended by both the Prime Minister and Vice Premier; it was just him.

Just him alone.

During Zhu Rongji's tenure at the press conference,

He indeed was one of the most expressive Prime Ministers of the State Council.

We'll have the chance to talk more about Zhu Rongji,

Who was called the "economic czar" abroad,

Because when he took office as Prime Minister, China's reforms were in deep waters,

Facing two huge problems:

First, the dual-track price system,

And second, breaking the iron rice bowl of state-owned enterprises

These were actually the most crucial battles in the reform process of the planned or state-owned economy.

The two major battles were completed during Zhu Rongji's tenure as Premier.

So, when Zhu Rongji took office as Premier,

He uttered that famous statement,

Whether the outside world calls me China's Gorbachev,

Or the economic tsar, or whatever,

I'm not pleased.

Currently, my thoughts are very simple.

No matter if it's a minefield ahead or an abyss,

I will march forward, never look back, exert all my efforts, and rest only in death.

This statement, when it was made, indeed resonated like thunder,

And deeply moved many people.

So when I saw this press conference,

I felt that the Prime Minister's press conference

Had a bit of the flavor of a U.S. presidential inauguration speech.

Because the report of the State Council's Premier at the NPC

Lacks emotional color, just reading the content,

And there's no space for emotional expression.

But at the press conference, it's different,

The press conference allows for personal expression.

But the press conference is different.

During the press conference, he displays a lot of personal flair.

So, Premier Zhu Rongji's statements during the press conference

Felt very impactful to people.

This tradition continued with Wen Jiabao and Li Keqiang as well.

According to early recollections from the State Council's spokesperson,

The most important purpose of holding these press conferences was to allow questions from foreign media,

Because there was a press bureau for the NPC,

Which hoped to use the Premier's press conferences

To allow questions from foreign media, enabling them to understand the direction of China's government policies.

So, when distributing press credentials,

Foreign media journalists often outnumbered domestic media journalists.

But there was a trick here,

Domestic journalists were basically arranged in advance,

Such as Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, CCTV,

Usually get the opportunity to ask questions each year.

CCTV reporters would have their questions written in advance before going up to ask,

Then ask the Premier to answer.

But early on, foreign media journalists did not have pre-submitted questions.

So, when Li Peng answered questions in 1988,

The questions from foreign media journalists were very sharp,

Asking about Ding Guangen's resignation,

Then later about Tibet, human rights issues,

And about some dissidents detained in China.

Questions from foreign media journalists were very intense.

Questions from foreign media journalists were very intense.

I would like to ask, with the establishment of China's cross-century leadership,

Do you think the June Fourth Incident from that year has any historical lessons for your new government

to avoid similar situations from happening again

or will it become a historical burden for you

Also, you once said back then

no matter what kind of base Hong Kong is, you would go

So, if you go to Hong Kong again in the future

and someone petitions you for the vindication of June Fourth, how would you view it

Also, the Hong Kong Alliance and some citizens

hold activities to commemorate June Fourth every year

What are your thoughts on this, thank you

But at that time, the responses from these Prime Ministers of the State Council

to these questions were quite good, overall

So, the main purpose of the press conferences at that time was as such

But later, the press conference gradually changed

It slowly shifted from focusing on foreign to focusing on domestic announcements

This is a very important change

As I said earlier

it went from demonstrating the Chinese government's attitude to foreign journalists

to mainly focusing on domestic

For example, during Wen Jiabao's era

What stands out the most from Wen Jiabao's press conferences

But now, the current Chongqing Municipal Committee and government must reflect

and seriously learn from the Wang Lijun incident

Without the success of political system reform, economic system reform cannot be carried through to the end

The achievements already made could also be lost again

New problems arising in society cannot be fundamentally resolved

A historical tragedy like the Cultural Revolution could happen again

You can see that these contents are actually talking about domestic affairs

They are about internal announcements, not foreign

Including like Li Keqiang, his press conferences were the same

So, over the past 30 years, you can see such a change in the press conferences of Chinese Premiers

This is the first characteristic

This is the first feature

The second feature

is such a question from these foreign media journalists

At first, as I just mentioned, there was no so-called selection

They could ask whatever questions they wanted

It's just that there was some tacit understanding between the two sides

But during the Hu-Wen era, some restrictions began to emerge gradually

There had to be communication in advance about what questions these foreign media journalists could ask

Later, this task was simply handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

So, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would communicate in advance with some foreign media journalists a few months before the Premier's press conference

to pre-discuss the questions to be asked

Because you can see, at the Premier's press conference

American journalists generally have the opportunity to ask questions

Japanese journalists have the opportunity to ask questions

Including European journalists also have the opportunity to ask questions

So, they would communicate these questions in advance with these foreign media journalists

So, you've seen, starting from 2004 onwards

The questions asked by these foreign journalists

were all pre-approved by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National People's Congress

They couldn't just ask anything they wanted

Including CNN and Japan's NHK

If they had the opportunity to ask questions

These questions were pre-reviewed by the CCP

These foreign media journalists are actually quite frustrated, why

Because on one hand, they all hope to have the opportunity to ask questions at the press conference of China's Premier

to get a chance to ask questions

because it proves themselves to be a very large and influential international news agency

But these questions must be reviewed by the CCP

Plainly speaking, it has become a tool for dancing along with the Chinese Premier

In other words, if you don't ask questions, you have no presence

If you do ask, you must cooperate with such a performance by the CCP

Therefore, foreign media reporters have had significant complaints about this in recent years

But there's not much they can do

This is the second change in China

But the third is

Despite this

the Chinese Premier is still able to

show some strong personality during the press conference, and even reveal some information

The average annual income per person is 30,000 yuan

But 600 million people have an income of only 1,000 yuan per month

1,000 yuan might not even be enough to rent a house in a medium-sized city

These statements immediately caused a huge response domestically

As a result, the Premier's press conference each year

becomes a hot spot in the news

That is to say, the news about the Two Sessions themselves won't be news

but news about the Two Sessions will be news

And the Premier's press conference is always a rich source of news every year

But all this should be considered officially over with this session of the Two Sessions

Considering the arrangements above

This year, after the closing of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, there will be no Premier's press conference

Unless there are special circumstances

In the coming years of this session of the National People's Congress, there will also be no Premier's press conference

So, in a few years

from the end of this session of the NPC to the next

will the Premier's press conference be resumed?

I think it's difficult, very difficult

So, some foreign media commented that an era has ended

I think this statement is accurate

It means the era of limited openness has ended and entered history

Because after all, the Premier being able to answer questions from Chinese and foreign journalists

indicates that the Chinese government is still willing to face these media inquiries

willing to have limited communication with foreign journalists

But as of today

this channel for limited communication has finally closed its doors

The next question is

why Li Qiang, including the Premier of China's State Council

is unwilling to hold this press conference anymore

What is the reason?

Some foreign media analysis

says that Xi Jinping's monopolization of power is a humiliation to the Premier of the State Council

completely disregarding him

I personally think there is a problem with this analysis, and here's why

Because the relationship between Li Qiang and Xi Jinping

is different from the relationship between all past Premiers and Presidents

and the General Secretary of the Communist Party

Li Peng and Jiang Zemin were actually from two factions of the Communist Party

Jiang Zemin was from Shanghai, while Li Peng was from the central government

Later, Zhu Rongji and Jiang Zemin had a very special relationship

Both of them were from Shanghai

This is very special

Following them, Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao were also from two systems

Then, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang were from two systems

That is to say, China's State Council Premier and the General Secretary of the Communist Party

used to subtly form a limited check and balance within the party

Their selection paths and growth paths were not the same

But Li Qiang and Xi Jinping are completely different

Li Qiang is someone Xi Jinping personally promoted, they are from the same camp

So there is no check and balance between them

Thus, there is no issue of Xi Jinping humiliating Li Qiang

and Li Qiang has no intention of balancing Xi Jinping

So why is there no press conference this time?

My understanding is that Li Qiang himself does not want to hold it

Did everyone notice

When Lou Qinjian announced the news, he said

This year, after the closing of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, there will be no Premier's press conference

Unless there are special circumstances

In the coming years of this session of the National People's Congress, there will also be no Premier's press conference

What does this statement mean?

It means that not holding a press conference now

is limited to this session of the NPC

The decision being limited to this session of the NPC, it's highly likely that it was Li Qiang's decision

rather than Xi Jinping's

If Xi Jinping decided that the Premier would never hold a press conference again

then there would be no need to limit it to this session of the NPC

It would be straightforward to say that our State Council's Premier will no longer hold press conferences

Only when Li Qiang says it

due to the limitations of his term

he can only decide on matters concerning his session of the NPC

So, this indicates

that the decision was definitely made by Li Qiang himself

and not by Xi Jinping

Then why would Li Qiang make such a decision?

Of course, I think some analyses are correct

Li Qiang doesn't want to be a Premier with a particularly strong presence

because the relationship between the State Council and the CCP Central Committee

has become an execution organ of the CCP Central Committee

This is very clear

You can see that after Li Qiang became the Premier

he held the first full meeting of the State Council on March 17 last year

and did something significant: modified the working rules of the State Council

The revision of the State Council's working rules is actually of profound significance

Why?

Because according to China's Constitution

the highest authority of the state is the NPC

and the State Council is the executive body of the NPC

That's what the Constitution stipulates, though of course, everyone knows that's not the reality

because the highest authority is definitely the CCP

The NPC is just a rubber stamp

But legally, that's how it's stipulated

But you can look at the revision done by Li Qiang

He completely turned the State Council from a nominal executive body of the NPC

into an execution organ of the CCP Central Committee

For example, it used to say that the State Council is the executive body of the NPC

Now, it doesn't say that; what does it say?

It says to fully implement the decisions of the CCP Central Committee

To closely unite around the CCP Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core

About Xi Jinping's "three confidences" and "four comprehensives" and such

Xi Jinping's slogans have become the working rules of the State Council

That's one aspect

The second aspect

More importantly, it emphasized reporting to the CCP Central Committee on significant matters during the work period

Reporting to the CCP Central Committee

Regardless of the situation

It mentioned a procedure and content for reporting

This would not have been seen in the State Council's working rules before

Because if you wrote it like that

it would undoubtedly be a blasphemy against China's Constitution

Or it would be an open challenge to the Constitution of the People's Republic of China

But the revisions made after Li Qiang became Premier are written like this

At the same time, all contents of governmental affairs that should be made public according to the law have also been removed.

Because, in the past, it was said that transparency is the general rule, and non-transparency is the exception.

And then, regarding the major interests of the people,

some numbers and information must be made public according to the law.

These contents have all been canceled.

What remains?

What remains is the firm implementation of the CCP Central Committee's

various policies, guidelines, and decision-making contents.

It should be said that, from the first day Li Qiang took office,

he has already turned it into the State Council's code of conduct.

I guess Li Qiang is quite willing to do so.

He is a person who started as a secretary, and he doesn't have any grand ambitions.

He also didn't intend to counterbalance Xi Jinping.

So, in Li Qiang's heart, there probably isn't any feeling of humiliation.

His self-positioning is just this content.

So, in his view, holding a press conference

is more trouble than it's worth, better not to hold it.

Not holding it means there's no presence.

This, for the relationship between him and Xi Jinping,

is the most rational or the most trouble-free method.

Or to put it another way, in his understanding, this is the best method.

If a press conference is held and something is said wrongly,

then causing Xi Jinping's displeasure, actually, it would not be good to get along.

So, in my opinion,

Li Qiang has already turned the State Council into an executive organ of the CCP Central Committee.

Thus, in this process,

whether to hold a press conference or not is not so important.

But on the other hand, we have to say, actually, from Xi's perspective,

He is willing to have Li Qiang stop holding press conferences.

I think it's actually quite worth pondering.

Logically speaking, even if Li Qiang continues to hold press conferences,

what can a person like Li Qiang say?

Last year, the press conferences held by Li Qiang were all standard fare.

There was nothing as exceptional as the comments made by Wen Jiabao back in the day,

nor were there any exceptional comments like those made by Li Keqiang.

But even so, can you see?

Actually, Xi Jinping also nodded in agreement to Li Qiang no longer holding press conferences.

That is to say, breaking the tradition of the past 35 years.

Not allowing the Premier to hold press conferences.

For Xi Jinping, this isn't considered a particularly important matter.

Since you, Li Qiang, don't wish to do it, then let it be.

As for how you outsiders interpret it, he doesn't care.

How you understand it is your own business.

It has nothing to do with the decision I'm making now.

This might just be the political reality of China today.

As for this political reality, for a vast national machinery like China,

is it good or bad?

For the development of Chinese society, is it ultimately good or bad?

Whether the outside world calls me China's Gorbachev,

or the Economic Tsar, or whatever else,

I am not pleased.

Regardless if it's a minefield or an abyss ahead,

I will march forward bravely, with dedication, exhaust all my efforts, unto death.

Without the success of political system reform,

economic system reform cannot be carried through to the end.

Tragedies like the Cultural Revolution could potentially happen again.

Our average annual per capita income is 30,000 yuan,

but there are 600 million people whose monthly income is just 1,000 yuan.

1,000 yuan in a medium-sized city might even make renting a place difficult.

No Prime Minister's press conference will be held after the closure of the 14th National People's Congress' second session,

unless under special circumstances.

In the following years of this National People's Congress, no Prime Minister's press conference will be held again.

China's development will surely brave the winds and waves, the future is promising.