Fifty-nine times in the span of 12 years – that's the frequency with which Chinese President Xi Jinping, also a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), has participated in discussions during the annual Two Sessions since 2013.

Xi attended the meetings of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Armed Police Force (APF) on 12 occasions. Equally, he contributed to the deliberation of various sectors within the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) the same number of times. Additionally, he participated in discussions with his fellow deputies from the Shanghai delegation from 2013 to 2017 and the Inner Mongolia delegation from 2018 to 2022, attending these sessions five times each. The years 2023 and 2024 saw him join fellow deputies from the Jiangsu delegation.

Xi's words in these meetings are closely watched for insights into China's development trajectory, and a look at the keywords and phrases he has stressed gives a clear indication of the country's priorities. Developing "new quality productive forces" was highlighted this year amid the country's accelerated efforts to foster new growth drivers and promote high-quality development. Key themes ranging from high-quality development and innovation consistently emerge, serving as a robust indicator of China's strategic plans and policy directions.