Why does Yao Ming, the 7ft 6in ex-basketballer, attend China’s Two Sessions meetings?

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 2 min read 100% complete by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondentMarch 5, 2026 at 02:56 AM
Why does Yao Ming, the 7ft 6in ex-basketballer, attend China’s Two Sessions meetings?

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

Yao Ming, the 7ft 6in retired basketball star, is a delegate to China's National People's Congress (NPC) and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). As one of China's most recognizable figures, Yao has been involved in Chinese sports administration since retiring from the NBA in 2011, including serving as president of the Chinese Basketball Association. He joined the NPC as an independent delegate in 2023. The NPC and CPPCC, known as the "Two Sessions," meet annually in early March. At last year's NPC, Yao proposed a digital detox program for children. His height often presents challenges, as standard furniture in the Great Hall of the People is too small for him.

Keywords

yao ming 100% national people's congress 90% china 80% two sessions 70% chinese basketball association 60% delegate 50% digital detox 50% chinese people’s political consultative conference 40%

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The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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