China closes legislative session amid Ukraine, virus worries

BEIJING (AP) — China has closed the annual session of its rubber-stamp legislature against the backdrop of Beijing’s controversial position on the war in Ukraine and a COVID-19 surge. Almost all legislative work is handled not by the National People’s Congress but by its smaller Standing Committee. Still, the weeklong session that ended Friday was a sounding board for issues of public concern and a platform for the Communist leadership to broadcast their priorities. Premier Li Keqiang set an ambitious goal of 5.5% economic growth for the year, while the defense budget received a 7.1% boost. Russia’s war in Ukraine was not openly discussed, but China has largely backed Russia while claiming to be defending national sovereignty above all else.