Almost 2,000 journalists from home and overseas have so far
applied to cover the upcoming annual sessions of the National
People's Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), or the "two
sessions".
The Fifth Session of the Tenth NPC will open on March 5 and the
Fifth Session of the Tenth National Committee of the CPPCC will
begin on March 3.
The press center of the "two sessions" formally began operations
on Monday.
The press center at No. 3 Compound, Jiaoyu Street, Xidan,
Xicheng District, Beijing, is near the Great Hall of the People,
where the "two sessions" will be held.
The press center has opened two websites to help correspondents
cover the meetings. The sites can be found at: www.npc.gov.cn and
www.cppcc.gov.cn.
A leading official of the press center said on Monday that for
the first time journalists can electronically file applications to
cover the "two sessions" through the websites.
He said the press center will release the agenda of the "two
sessions", detailed schedules for press conferences and group
interviews and other information relating to the "two sessions" via
the websites.
The press center has set up online computer terminals that
provide free search services for journalists.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2007)