China's legislative sessions start with stimulus in the spotlight

BEIJING -- China's annual legislative season kicked off Monday, with expectations running high for top officials to serve up additional measures to buttress an uneven post-pandemic economic recovery.

The country's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), convened as President Xi Jinping marched into Beijing's Great Hall of the People with other key leaders. The opening of the legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), is due to follow on Tuesday, with the proceedings scheduled to last until March 11.