China scraps Premier Li's NPC news conference, breaking tradition

BEIJING/HONG KONG -- China said on Monday that Premier Li Qiang will not hold a news conference at the end of the National People's Congress (NPC), a break with decades of tradition that closes one of the few windows on government policymaking.

The announcement was made by spokesperson Lou Qinjian just ahead of the start of China's legislative "two sessions," the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the NPC. Lou said the media and public can "easily access" information through government reports published during the weeklong proceedings, as well as through interviews with lawmakers.