Two sessions of change

The Chinese People's Political Consulta-tive Conference is already in session and the National People's Congress will convene on Tuesday, providing a once-in-a-decade opportunity to feel the pulse of Chinese politics.

The Communist Party of China has already completed its leadership transition and new Party chief Xi Jinping has given indications of his changed style of functioning. So eyes are now trained on the NPC session for the composition of the administrative branch of China's political apparatus, which in part will tell us what more to expect from the new leadership.

Besides deciding personnel's appointments, which have generated speculation over the months, the NPC session is also expected to unfold the entire blueprint the Party has drawn to reform the central government itself. The layout of the new cabinet will help people assess the new leadership's governance philosophy and, hence, future orientation.