Nearly 2,000 journalists from both home and abroad have applied for accreditation to cover the annual sessions of China's legislature and national advisory body.

The Fourth Session of the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) begins March 3, while Fourth Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) begins on March 5. The media center opened Tuesday.

The center, located at Xizhimen Hotel in downtown Beijing, will provide services for all qualified journalists.

The Fourth Session of the 10th NPC has also launched a website which will provide news releases along with meeting schedules, news conferences and contact information for liaisons of the various delegations attending the session.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2006)