Investors lock onto NPC as markets seek policy lift amid AI jitters

Ahead of China’s annual legislative meetings – typically a window into Beijing’s top-level policy agenda – this is the sixth entry in a series examining the complex economic recalibration driving China’s growth philosophy and its wide-ranging implications for local governments, financial investors and private enterprises.Stock investors will zero in on China’s annual parliamentary gathering this week for signals it could revive equity momentum, as fears of artificial intelligence-driven disruption unsettle global markets.More than 2,000 delegates from across the nation will convene in Beijing for the annual meeting of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, scheduled to open on Thursday.This year’s meeting carries added significance for investors. Reporting by the China-morning-post" class="entity-link entity-organization" data-entity-id="12558" data-entity-type="organization">South China Morning Post revealed that legislators were expected to set a new, lower annual target for economic growth and provide guidance that could shape policy direction over the next five years.NPC deputies are also set to review a draft of the country’s next five-year plan, outlining China’s development priorities through 2030.The NPC traditionally opens a day after the convening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, an advisory body gathering figures from outside the ruling Communist Party. Together, the annual events – known as the “two sessions” – offer a glimpse into China’s policy trajectory.