Shenzhen's 11th Five-year Program and the municipal government work report will be put to vote at the Second Session of the Fourth Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress next week, yesterday's Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

Lawmakers will also examine and endorse the city's draft budget for 2006 and the work reports tabled by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court and the Shenzhen People's Procuratorate at the annual session of the Municipal People's Congress to be held from March 22-26, the Daily report said, quoting Yuan Qingwen, secretary general of the Standing Committee of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress.

Yuan said foreign reporters will be allowed to sit in on some of the local lawmakers' panel discussions this year, a practice that has already been adopted by the Provincial People's Congress.

The English version of the municipal government work report will be available for the convenience of foreign guests, the Daily report said. Simultaneous interpretation services will also be provided at the five-day session.

Two press conferences will be held on the sidelines of the legislative meeting, Yuan said. Officials from Bao'an and Longgang districts and officials from the municipal public security bureau and the municipal urban administration bureau will also be invited to attend the first press conference on urban management. The second press conference will be held after the legislative meeting concludes. Mayor Xu Zongheng will be present at the second press conference to answer questions from reporters.

Consuls-General will attend the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress this year, Yuan said, marking the first time they will do so. Over the past few years, Shenzhen's legislative body has been inviting consular officials from Guangzhou and Xiamen to observe its annual session.

(Shenzhen Daily March 17, 2006)