Two cups of tea? Yes, at the annual meeting of China’s National Congress, President Xi Jinping drank something all other representatives had not seen: two cups of tea.
How do you know where Xi Jinping is sitting at the CPC congress?
Comrade Shi has two cups, and each of the ordinary party members has one cup. pic.twitter.com/Aqw8KuCpSU
– Bigrussianshop?? (bigrussianshop) March 5, 2023
This meeting, known as the “Two Sessions”, is theoretically equivalent to Parliament. Basically, it is where laws are made and decisions are made, which have already been made.
On the goblets, the BBC’s Asia Pacific editor Celia Hatton explained: “Symbolism is very important in Chinese politics. In the time of emperors, they could only wear yellow robes. So something as trivial as making two cups of tea for President Xi Jinping is different.”
Sometimes Xi Jinping asserts his authority more noisily, for example, when his predecessor Hu Jintao was almost “dragged” at last year’s meeting, the reasons for which are still unknown. Xi Jinping continues to have a “strong hand” at the forefront of China’s destinies, continues to implement major reforms, and always shows with small gestures (the Two of Cups) that he is in complete control.
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