The Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress Is Held; Xi Jinping and Others Attend

March 9, 2026 | Source: “Study China” Learning Platform

The Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress Was Held.

Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and others attended.

Zhao Leji Delivers the Work Report of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

To hear and deliberate on the Work Reports of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, among others.

On March 9, the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Tao.

Beijing, March 9 (Xinhua) — The second plenary session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held on the morning of the 9th at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where the work reports of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the Supreme People’s Court, and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate were heard and deliberated. The session also reviewed the report of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on the status of legal cleanup efforts and its proposed handling measures for relevant laws and decisions.

Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Han Zheng, and others attended the meeting.

On March 9, the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. On behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Chairman Zhao Leji delivered a report on the work of the NPC Standing Committee to the Congress. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Rao Aimin.

On behalf of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Chairman Zhao Leji delivered a report to the Congress on the work of the Standing Committee. In his report, Zhao Leji pointed out that 2025 has been an extraordinary year. Over the past year, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress has adhered to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implemented the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the successive plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, studied and applied Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important ideas on upholding and improving the system of people’s congresses. Focusing on building a more complete socialist rule-of-law system with Chinese characteristics and constructing a socialist country under the rule of law at a higher level, the Standing Committee has closely centered its work around the lawful performance of duties and the conscientious fulfillment of responsibilities in advancing Chinese modernization, achieving new progress and yielding tangible results in all areas of its work. First, we have strengthened the implementation and oversight of the Constitution, safeguarding the unity of the rule of law across the country. The Standing Committee reviewed the draft Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress twice and submitted it to this session for deliberation, thereby solidifying the legal foundation for forging a stronger sense of community among the Chinese nation. We established Taiwan Restoration Day to reinforce the shared national historical memory of compatriots on both sides of the Strait. We have enhanced the quality of constitutional review and filing review, while promoting the spirit of the Constitution and the spirit of socialist rule of law. Second, we have intensified legislative work, using high‑quality legislation to serve and safeguard reform and development. By coordinating the enactment, amendment, repeal, interpretation, and codification of laws, the Standing Committee reviewed 40 bills—including draft laws, interpretations of laws, and decisions—over the past year, adopting 24 of them, including the enactment of 6 laws and the amendment of 14 laws. Third, we have fulfilled our supervisory duties and fully leveraged the important role of people’s congress oversight within the Party and state supervision system. We heard and deliberated on 22 reports on oversight work, inspected the implementation of 5 laws, organized 2 special inquiries and 11 specialized research projects, and adopted 1 resolution. Fourth, we have deepened and expanded our work related to deputies, enabling deputies to play their roles even more effectively. We have comprehensively implemented the newly revised Deputies Law, continuously strengthened capacity building in deputy work, relied closely on deputies to carry out all tasks, and supported and guaranteed deputies in performing their duties in accordance with the law. Fifth, we have capitalized on the distinctive strengths of the people’s congresses’ foreign exchanges to proactively serve the overall diplomatic agenda of the country. Sixth, we have comprehensively strengthened our own development, continuously enhancing our ability and level of law-based performance of duties.

In the report, Zhao Leji pointed out that we are clearly aware that there are still certain gaps and shortcomings in our work. We will humbly listen to the opinions and suggestions of deputies and all sectors of society, consciously accept oversight from the people, and continuously strengthen and improve our work.

In the report, Zhao Leji pointed out that 2026 marks the inaugural year of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress must deeply grasp the decisive significance of “two establishments,” strengthen the “four consciousnesses,” firmly uphold the “four confidences,” and ensure “two safeguards.” It must uphold the organic unity of Party leadership, the people being masters of the country, and governance by law; develop whole-process people’s democracy; consistently uphold, improve, and effectively implement the system of people’s congresses; and, while maintaining stability, strive for progress in promoting high‑quality development of the work of the people’s congresses, thereby making due contributions to ensuring a successful start to the 15th Five-Year Plan.

In his report, Zhao Leji outlined the tasks for the coming year: promoting the comprehensive implementation of the Constitution, improving the legal system related to the Constitution, and fully leveraging the Constitution’s core role in legislation; continuously refining the socialist legal system with Chinese characteristics, focusing on ensuring the effective implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, strengthening legislation in key areas, emerging fields, and foreign-related domains, and striving to enhance the quality of legislation; further enhancing the targeted nature and effectiveness of oversight work, addressing prominent contradictions and problems that constrain economic and social development, and advancing the rule of law in all aspects of work; providing services and safeguards to support deputies in performing their duties in accordance with the law, encouraging them to maintain close ties with the people, and better reflecting public opinion and collective wisdom in bills, proposals, and deliberative speeches; actively engaging in external exchanges and cooperation involving the NPC, drawing on the NPC’s functions and responsibilities to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with foreign parliaments and international and regional parliamentary organizations; and making solid progress in building the “four organs,” thereby raising the standard of NPC work in the new era.

On March 9, the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Zhang Jun, President of the Supreme People’s Court, delivered the Work Report of the Supreme People’s Court. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Haitao.

In his work report to the Supreme People’s Court, President Zhang Jun pointed out that in 2025, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Supreme People’s Court faithfully fulfilled the duties entrusted to it by the Constitution and the law, striving to provide high‑quality judicial services to support China’s modernization drive, and achieving new progress in all areas of work. The Supreme People’s Court received 29,154 cases and concluded 31,958 cases, representing year‑on‑year decreases of 16.5% and 1.8%, respectively. Courts at all levels across the country accepted 37.486 million cases for adjudication and enforcement, and concluded 36.2 million cases, marking year‑on‑year increases of 10.8% and 8.9%, respectively.

Focusing on upholding fairness and justice, Zhang Jun outlined the work plan for 2025: providing high‑quality judicial safeguards for high‑level security; delivering high‑quality judicial services to support high‑quality development; safeguarding a high‑quality life through high‑quality justice; leveraging high‑quality justice to advance high‑level opening-up; standardizing the exercise of judicial power; and consciously accepting oversight from all sectors.

In his report, Zhang Jun stated that in 2026, the people’s courts must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law, uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, firmly maintain confidence in the rule of law, place greater emphasis on coordinating the rule of law with reform, development, and stability, and pay even more attention to safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice. They must strengthen judicial work in the new era and provide robust judicial services and safeguards to ensure a successful start to the 15th Five-Year Plan. By faithfully performing their duties, they should deepen and effectively deliver services that serve the overall interests and uphold justice for the people; by upholding core principles while fostering innovation, they should improve the systems and mechanisms for impartial justice; and by exercising strict management with genuine care, they should forge a new-era iron army of courts capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities—unifying hearts and minds, working diligently and taking responsibility, and making new and greater contributions to building a socialist country under the rule of law at a higher level.

On March 9, the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Ying Yong, Procurator‑General of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, delivered the Work Report of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhai Jianlan.

In his work report to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, Procurator‑General Ying Yong pointed out that in 2025, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate actively integrated itself into the process of further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization. Upholding the principles of serving the overall interests, providing justice for the people, and safeguarding the rule of law, the Procuratorate strengthened prosecutorial oversight, handled every case with high quality and efficiency, and continuously advanced the application of Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law in procuratorial practice, achieving new results in all areas of procuratorial work. Nationwide procuratorial organs handled a total of 3.467 million cases of various types, including 8,151 cases handled by the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.

Ying Yong reviewed the work for 2025: Implement the Overall National Security Concept and advance the building of a China that is safer at a higher level; fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy and serve high‑quality development; uphold the paramount importance of people’s wellbeing and safeguard the rights and interests of the people in accordance with the law; strengthen prosecutorial oversight and promote fairness and justice; enhance awareness of accepting oversight to ensure that prosecutorial power always operates within the framework of the rule of law; and take the Party’s political development as the overarching guiding principle to earnestly strengthen the building of a robust procuratorial workforce.

In his report, Ying Yong pointed out that in 2026, procuratorial organs across the country must adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as their guiding principle, thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping’s thought on the rule of law, place greater emphasis on coordinating the rule of law with reform, development, and stability, and pay even more attention to safeguarding and promoting social fairness and justice, thereby fulfilling their duties as the state’s legal supervisory organs. They must always uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over procuratorial work, better serve high‑quality development and high‑level security, deepen and strengthen the practice of serving the people through procuratorial work, reinforce procuratorial oversight, enhance public interest litigation, and continuously strengthen the building of the procuratorial workforce.

The meeting also reviewed the report of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on the status of legal cleanup work and its proposed handling opinions regarding relevant laws and decisions.

The meeting had 2,878 delegates scheduled to attend, with 2,760 in attendance and 118 absent; the number of attendees met the statutory quorum.

On March 9, the Second Plenary Session of the Fourth Meeting of the 14th National People’s Congress was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Li Hongzhong presided over the meeting. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shen Hong.

The meeting was chaired by Li Hongzhong, Executive Chairman and Presidium Member of the Congress.

Yu Weiguo, Wang Ning, Wang Weizhong, Wang Zhonglin, Wang Xiaohui, Wang Hao, Bayin Chaolu, Feng Fei, Liu Yiliang, Du Jiahao, Li Xiuling, Yang Xiaochao, Wu Xiaojun, Zhang Shengmin, Chen Xiaojiang, Lin Wu, Zhou Zuyi, Zhao Yide, Ni Yuefeng, Huang Lixin, Huang Qiang, Huang Chuping, and Luo Shugang took their seats at the presidium’s executive chair.

Editor-in-Charge: Li Liangyu