China’s ‘Two Sessions’: Military Purge Overshadows Launch of New Five-Year Plan
China’s annual “Two Sessions” are set to open in early March, offering a critical glimpse into Beijing’s political priorities, economic direction and approach to Taiwan. This year’s meetings unfold amid exceptional uncertainty, following the dramatic purge of senior PLA leaders including Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia, raising questions about civil–military relations and internal stability. At the same time, China is entering its 15th Five-Year Plan period, with growth targets, defense spending, and industrial policy under intense scrutiny. How will Beijing balance political control, economic strain, and mounting external pressure from Washington? In this episode, we preview the Two Sessions, examine key political and economic signals to watch, and assess what shifts in rhetoric may reveal about China’s intentions toward Taiwan and the evolving US–China relationship. *Recorded on February 6, 2026 at 2pm Taiwan Standard Time Host: Wen-Ti Sung Producer: Chinyeh Chiang Our guests: Titus Chen - National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations Research Professor and Deputy Director Wei-Feng Tzeng - National Chengchi University Institute of International Relations Associate Research Fellow
