China Cancels Premier's Press Conference Amid Economic Struggles and Ambitious Growth Targets

China canceled Premier Li Qiang's scheduled press conference after the annual parliamentary session. This is the only event where Chinese leadership takes questions from domestic and foreign press.

The cancellation comes amid China's economic struggles, leading some experts to draw comparisons to a company canceling earnings calls during poor financial performance.

China announced an ambitious 5% GDP growth target for 2022, puzzling economists who believe it will be difficult to achieve without economic stimulus.

The premier acknowledged achieving the growth targets will not be easy. Canceling his press conference means journalists cannot question the motivation or feasibility of the target.

Some experts believe the cancellation shows Xi Jinping wants to consolidate political power and control the narrative about China's economic health.