12th Chinese National People’s Congress

A Chinese security officer guards an entrance as delegation meetings of the 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) take place in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on March 7, 2017. The NPC has over 3,000 delegates and is the world’s largest parliament or legislative assembly though its function is largely as a formal seal of approval for the policies fixed by the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party. The NPC runs alongside the annual plenary meetings of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), together known as ‘Lianghui’ or ‘Two Meetings’. (How Hwee Young/EPA)