Xi out to remind China who's boss at year's biggest political event

President under pressure from economic slowdown and trade war

Chinese President Xi Jinping used last year's National People's Congress to cement his place as the country's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. © Reuters

NIKKI SUN, Nikkei staff writer

March 2, 2019 15:00 JST

HONG KONG -- At last year's National People's Congress, President Xi Jinping cemented his place as China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. This year, he has to convince his party and his country that he still has everything under control.

Thousands of delegates will convene in Beijing from this weekend for China's biggest political meetings of the year -- the NPC and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. The gathering comes as the nation of 1.4 billion people grapples with an economic slowdown and a prolonged battle with the U.S. over trade, tech and diplomacy.