AP Photos: China wraps up its National People’s Congress in a sea of red
AP Photos: China wraps up its National People’s Congress in a sea of red
Red flags flutter in the wind near the Chinese national emblem outside the Great Hall of the People during the closing of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Documents are laid out for delegates before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A man walks near red flags on Tiananmen Square during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the closing ceremony of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Chinese military band conductor leads the band at the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A minority delegate walks by soldiers dressed as ushers as she heads to the Great Hall of the People to attend a plenary session of China’s National People’s Congress, in Beijing, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A Chinese paramilitary policeman is silhouetted with the Great Hall of the People after the opening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Hostesses prepare tea for delegates before the start of plenary session for National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
A Chinese military band conductor rehearses before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A man holds a sign “please wait” near Tiananmen Gate ahead of the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) with the background of Tiananmen gate in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Military delegates disembark from buses as they arrive for the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Security guards block off lifts after the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A delegate holds a copy of the National People’s Congress’ report as they pose in front of the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A delegate reads a document before the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic minority delegates leave after the closing session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese hostesses hold national flags having a light moment on Tiananmen Square as delelates attend the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A worker stands at the entrance to a meeting held by delegates from China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to deliberate on the government work report on the sideline of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard below a giant portrait of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong hung on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, Wednesday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Delegates holding copies of the National People’s Congress’ report leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Red flags flutter in the wind near the Chinese national emblem outside the Great Hall of the People during the closing of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Red flags flutter in the wind near the Chinese national emblem outside the Great Hall of the People during the closing of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Documents are laid out for delegates before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Documents are laid out for delegates before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A man walks near red flags on Tiananmen Square during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
A man walks near red flags on Tiananmen Square during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the closing ceremony of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives for the closing ceremony of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Chinese military band conductor leads the band at the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Chinese military band conductor leads the band at the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A minority delegate walks by soldiers dressed as ushers as she heads to the Great Hall of the People to attend a plenary session of China’s National People’s Congress, in Beijing, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A minority delegate walks by soldiers dressed as ushers as she heads to the Great Hall of the People to attend a plenary session of China’s National People’s Congress, in Beijing, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A Chinese paramilitary policeman is silhouetted with the Great Hall of the People after the opening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Chinese paramilitary policeman is silhouetted with the Great Hall of the People after the opening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in Beijing, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Hostesses prepare tea for delegates before the start of plenary session for National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Hostesses prepare tea for delegates before the start of plenary session for National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Saturday, March 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
A Chinese military band conductor rehearses before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A Chinese military band conductor rehearses before the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A man holds a sign “please wait” near Tiananmen Gate ahead of the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A man holds a sign “please wait” near Tiananmen Gate ahead of the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) with the background of Tiananmen gate in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard during a preparatory session meeting of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) with the background of Tiananmen gate in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Military delegates disembark from buses as they arrive for the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Military delegates disembark from buses as they arrive for the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Security guards block off lifts after the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Security guards block off lifts after the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A delegate holds a copy of the National People’s Congress’ report as they pose in front of the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A delegate holds a copy of the National People’s Congress’ report as they pose in front of the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A delegate reads a document before the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
A delegate reads a document before the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic minority delegates leave after the closing session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Ethnic minority delegates leave after the closing session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China, Monday, March 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese hostesses hold national flags having a light moment on Tiananmen Square as delelates attend the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Chinese hostesses hold national flags having a light moment on Tiananmen Square as delelates attend the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A worker stands at the entrance to a meeting held by delegates from China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to deliberate on the government work report on the sideline of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A worker stands at the entrance to a meeting held by delegates from China’s Tibet Autonomous Region to deliberate on the government work report on the sideline of the National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Thursday, March 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard below a giant portrait of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong hung on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, Wednesday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Chinese paramilitary policemen stand guard below a giant portrait of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong hung on Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, Wednesday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Delegates holding copies of the National People’s Congress’ report leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Delegates holding copies of the National People’s Congress’ report leave the Great Hall of the People after attending the closing ceremony of the National People’s Congress in Beijing, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
BEIJING, China (AP) — China wrapped up the National People’s Congress — its biggest political event of the year — on Tuesday. The color red is the common visual characteristic, from the color of the national flag and seal, standing high above participants on the Great Hall of the People to the carpets rolled out for delegates.
Red has been synonymous with the Communist Party since before the 1949 revolution and traditionally has been the color of auspiciousness and hope for the future, particularly around holidays such as last month’s Lunar New Year.
The annual major political event brought together the nation’s top leaders and thousands of provincial leaders to endorse decisions already made by the all-powerful Chinese Communist Party.