Beijing has imposed scrutiny of vehicles going in or out of the capital to ensure safety during the annual parliamentary and political advisory sessions, local traffic bureau said on Tuesday.

The round-the-clock check, which started on February 28, focused on vehicles with seven seats or more, and trucks and vehicles transporting hazardous chemicals.

Vehicles with safety problems must be fixed within a set period or be taken off the road, the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau said on its website.

The check was also implemented during the travel rush of the Lunar New Year, which fell on Jan. 26 this year and an important traditional festival when tens of millions of people hit the road for family reunions.

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body, opened its annual session on Tuesday afternoon. The National People's Congress, the top legislature, will convene on Thursday. The two sessions are scheduled to last about two weeks.

(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2009)