China to set growth targets as National People's Congress kicks off

Rubber-stamp parliament aiming to reverse virus slowdown, property crisis

China's strict zero-COVID policy has weighed on the world's second-biggest economy as movement restrictions and lockdowns dented consumer actvity. © Reuters

CK TAN, Nikkei staff writer

March 3, 2022 16:16 JST

BEIJING -- China will sketch out plans for the world's second biggest economy this weekend as Beijing moves to stabilize growth dented by pandemic restrictions and a property market crisis, while pressure builds over its tepid response to the war in Ukraine.

On Friday, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference kicks off in the capital ahead of the annual National People's Congress (NPC) the next day, drawing 5,000 attendees, including lawmakers, academics and business people.