In China, no other current affairs will draw more public atten- tion in early March than the annual sessions of the National People"s Congress (NPC), the supreme legislature, and the Chinese People"s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top advisory body. Seen as one of the most significant events in China"s political life, these two sessions always play a crucial role in shaping some key pol- icies for the country"s economic and social development, especially in the year ahead.