Chinese lawmakers tell AFP that they are confident in the country's prospects despite a host of gnarly challenges. Their comments follow the opening session of the National People's Congress in Beijing. "The international situation is very turbulent now, especially the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israeli-Palestinian war," Liu Hui, an NPC delegate from the central province of Jiangxi, told journalists. "But China is very stable internally, and we also have strong confidence that we can improve our economy," he hastened to add. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES