Watch: Even serving tea is a choreographed spectacle at China’s party meet

China’s Communist party congress: Tea was served by women wearing red jackets in a rehearsed way, almost like a dance.

As the 20th congress of China's Communist party- most consequential political event in a decade- began on Sunday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, nothing in the gathering was out of order. Exhibit: the highly choreographed serving of tea at the meeting. As some 2,300 delegates gathered for China's president Xi Jinping's speech which opened the once-in-five-year meeting, tea was served by women wearing red jackets in a rehearsed way, almost like a dance.

China's Communist party meeting: Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. (Reuters)

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The meeting is set to usher in Xi Jinping’s precedent-breaking third term as the party’s general secretary, as well as a new 300-strong Central Committee, the party’s top policymaking body as sweeping changes are expected while Xi Jinping builds a new team for his third term.

Xi Jinping, 69, delivered a speech summarising the achievements of the past five years and sketching a trajectory for the party and country over the next five years and beyond. His address comes as China faces a host of challenges, from tensions with the West to the Ukraine war and the Covid pandemic.