What the Chinese call the "two sessions," meaning the annual sessions of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, the top political advisory body, are not just China's own business.
And this year's two sessions are of particular importance because they will witness the lineup of a new government and a new cabinet, which will in turn guide and serve China's economic reform and development in the next five years as it has become the second-largest economic power and perhaps the largest trading country in the world.
Officials have said at the two sessions that China will make better efforts at reform and tap the vast potential of the country's 1.35 billion consumers.
So, to a great extent, the leadership team and the development program to soon arise from Beijing will be internationally significant and affect many companies around the world, especially those that are already holding large business interests in China.
We asked five executives from global businesses operating in China to share their opinions and ideas. What are their expectations and what are their concerns - now that both the country and the world are quite a way from the time when they just expanded into the newly opening-up China market in the 1990s?
Q1: What major issues do you expect members of the national legislature to address? And why?
Q2: What are the major challenges facing China in order to maintain a sustainable and steady economic growth?
Q3: What's your company's biggest concern when you do business in China?
Q4: What measures do you expect from the new leadership to help create a more favorable environment for your business and your industry?
