As of Monday, about 2,900 journalists from around the world had registered to cover the upcoming annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), according to the meetings' press center.

The number is almost same as that for last year's sessions, in which the new generation of leadership was elected and administrative reform was deepened.

Constitutional amendment is widely regarded as the most important item on the agenda of the Second Session of the 10th NPC.

Other hot issues for both the NPC and CPPCC include fighting corruption, increasing farmers' income, helping laid-off workers find jobs, improving social security, protecting the environment and coping with land requisition.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2004)