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)