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

The Third Sessions of the 11th NPC and the 11th CPPCC National Committee are scheduled to open on March 5 and March 3, respectively, according to the general offices of the NPC Standing Committee and the CPPCC National Committee on Monday.

A media center will be opened on February 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 February 28 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 Monday to help domestic and overseas journalists report the "two sessions," the country's main annual political events.

The websites -- www.npc.gov.cn/pc/11-3 for the NPC session and www.cppcc.people.com.cn for the CPPCC session -- will post information related to news reporting on the events, the offices said.

Last year's "two sessions" saw more than 3,000 reporters from home and abroad, including more than 800 foreign reporters.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2010)