Chinese and overseas journalists are welcome to cover the upcoming
annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), it was
announced in Beijing Tuesday.
The 1st Session of the 10th NPC and the 1st Session of the 10th
National Committee of the CPPCC will begin in Beijing on March 5
and March 3, respectively, according to the general offices of the
NPC Standing Committee and the CPPCC National Committee.
The NPC is the top legislative body in China, while the CPPCC is a
broad-based national advisory organization consisting of experts
and citizens from all walks of life. The CPPCC plays a supervisory
role and accepts suggestions and criticisms which relate to major
state affairs and policies and other important issues.
A
press center will be set up at the China Hall of Science and
Technology, No. 3 Fuxing Road, Beijing. It will be responsible for
arranging Chinese and overseas correspondents to cover the two
meetings.
Resident foreign correspondents in China who want to cover the
meetings are required to send their applications to the press
center, and foreign correspondents who come to China for the events
should send their applications to the Chinese embassies or
consulates in their countries, or to the commissioner's offices of
the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong and Macao.
Applications from Hong Kong and Macao correspondents should be sent
to the liaison offices of the Central People's Government in the
Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions,
respectively.
Taiwan reporters who temporarily come to cover the meetings should
send their applications to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council.
The deadline for applications from non-resident foreign
correspondents and Taiwan reporters is March 8.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2003)