China's National People's Congress convenes annually.

Known for votes of near-unanimity on almost every issue, the National People's Congress (NPC) of China serves as the country's parliament and takes place annually in the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

With about 3,000 members, it is the world's largest parliament - but without an opposition, as nearly three-quarters of delegates are members of the Communist Party of China, and the rest are members of the allied United Front.

NPC delegates are indirectly elected - generally unopposed - to a five-year term. And while the real decisions may be made elsewhere, the NPC is still an important gauge of the direction of China's ruling party and its response to current events.