The third-ranked leader of China's ruling Communist Party was absent on Tuesday from a key parliamentary session he had been due to open, with his stand-in attributing the absence to a respiratory infection.

Zhao Leji, 68, was not among the senior party leaders in the Great Hall of the People, the first time in almost two decades since a member of the Politburo Standing Committee, the party's top echelon, was not at the high-profile political event.

"Chairman Zhao Leji requested leave from this afternoon's meeting due to a respiratory infection," said Li Hongzhong, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, as he opened the plenary session in the Chinese capital.

"I was entrusted ... to preside," he told more than 2,000 delegates gathered in the hall's main auditorium for the parliamentary meetings, set to conclude on Tuesday.

The public announcement was a departure from the Communist Party's customary secrecy about the health of its senior leaders.

Zhao did not attend either the closing session of China's national political advisory body or the third meeting of the presidium of the National People's Congress (NPC), state media have said, with no reason given for his absence.

Li, his deputy, was "entrusted" to chair the meeting of the presidium, the official People's Daily newspaper said. Li, 68, sits on the 24-member Politburo, the party's second-highest rung of power.

In addition to chairing China's national parliament, Zhao, 68, is the head of its standing committee, which meets every two months to review drafts of new legislation and approve personnel decisions.

On Saturday, Zhao delivered an annual report on China's legislative work at the second plenary session of the NPC, also held in the Great Hall of the People.

He attended last Wednesday's opening session of parliament and met NPC delegates from the southwestern province of Sichuan that day, state media said.

Reuters

Updated 4.17pm

This photo taken on March 5, 2025 shows the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Infection blamed for top Chinese lawmaker's absence from key parliament session