China is inviting journalists from home and abroad to cover the annual sessions of its national legislature and national political advisory body, as the media center for the two sessions is scheduled to open in Beijing on Feb 27, according to an official statement on Tuesday.
The fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress is set to begin on March 5, while the fourth session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee is scheduled to kick off on March 4.
News coverage of the two sessions can be conducted through various methods, with a strong emphasis on on-site reporting, the statement noted, which was jointly issued by the general offices of the National People's Congress Committee and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee.
Foreign journalists based in China who want to cover the sessions should submit their applications to the press center, while those overseas can apply through Chinese embassies or consulates in their respective countries, or via visa organizations authorized by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the statement.
Journalists from Hong Kong and Macao must submit their applications to the central government's liaison offices in these special administrative regions, while reporters from Taiwan should apply to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, the statement added.
The application deadline is Feb 3, and additional information about the two sessions can be found at www.npc.gov.cn and www.cppcc.gov.cn.
The two sessions, as China's biggest annual political event, usually begins in early March in Beijing. National lawmakers and political advisers gather to review the work reports of governmental and judicial authorities, deliberate on crucial economic and social issues, and participate in formulating or amending laws related to people's interests and the nation's development.
