At the start of this year's annual sessions of China's National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the Chinese authorities unexpectedly announced on Monday the cancellation of the decades-long tradition of holding a press conference with Chinese and foreign journalists at the end of the "Two Sessions" by the Premier of the State Council. Why did the CCP cancel the Premier's press conference? Was this cancellation proposed by Xi Jinping? What is the historical evolution of the Premier's press conference? And what does the cancellation of the press conference imply? Follow the State of Play in China English channel at: [null] for insightful content. #Wang Zhian #TwoSessions #PremierPressConference #StateCouncil #LiQiang #XiJinping #ZhuRongji #WenJiabao #LiKeqiang