Chinese and overseas reporters are invited to cover the upcoming annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The 2nd session of the 11th National People's Congress and the 2nd session of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC are to be convened on March 5 and March 3 in Beijing respectively, announced the general offices of the NPC Standing Committee and the CPPCC National Committee.

A media center will be opened on Feb. 26 for the two meetings at the Media Center Hotel to serve the needs of journalists, the offices said.

Chinese and resident foreign reporters should submit their applications for reporting passes before March 5 to the media center while foreign reporters temporarily in China for the "two sessions" should apply at Chinese embassies or visa organizations authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Hong Kong and Macao offices of the China Travel Services are authorized to handle applications from Taiwan reporters.

Reporters from Hong Kong and Macao should apply at the central government's liaison offices in the two special administrative regions.

Two websites were opened Wednesday to help domestic and overseas journalists report the "two sessions" as the country's top-level political events are drawing near.

The websites, www.npc.gov.cn/pc/11_2 for the NPC session and www.cppcc.gov.cn for the CPPCC session, will post information related to news reporting on the events, the "two sessions" offices said Wednesday.

Last year's "two sessions" saw 2,800 reporters from home and abroad, hitting a record high.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2009)