(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-26 22:56

BEIJING - More than 2,800 journalists, both domestic and foreign, have so far applied to cover the upcoming first session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) and also the first session of the 11th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The figure was 800 more than last year.

The NPC, the country's top legislature, and the CPPCC, the top advisory body, will open their annual full sessions on March 5 and March 3, respectively.

The press center at the Media Center Hotel (No. 11B, Fuxing Road, Beijing) was launched on Tuesday.

The center, which also served journalists covering last October's 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), is only a few kilometers away from the Great Hall of the People, the venue of the two sessions.

Observers believed the Olympic Games, China's economy and the two sessions' more transparency have become attractions this year for more overseas reporters. Last year, less than 2,000 correspondents had registered here by February 26.

On February 4, the press center opened two websites to help correspondents cover the meetings. The sites in Chinese, English and other foreign languages, can be found at www.npc.gov.cn and www.cppcc.gov.cn.

A media liaison official said journalists covering the two sessions could file applications on-line via the websites. Acceptance of applications closes on March 5.