China's National People's Congress cancels important press conference
Journalists wait for the start of a press conference in the press room of the Great Hall of the People. The spokesperson of the National People's Congress, Lou Qinjian, announced the schedule for the National People's Congress on 4 March. Johannes Neudecker/dpa

Journalists covering the Chinese National People's Congress, which holds a week-long meeting in Beijing from Tuesday, will not have a chance to ask Premier Li Qiang any questions, as the government unexpectedly cancelled a press conference.

Li will not hold the meeting with journalists at the end of the week-long session, National People's Congress spokesman Lou Qinjian said in Beijing on Monday.

In previous years, the press conference was always a rare opportunity for the premier to answer questions from reporters.