The 13th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee kicks off its annual meeting on Sunday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, marking the start of 2019 two sessions - the annual meetings of the CPPCC and the National People's Congress, China's top legislature - the most important annual political event in China. Photo: AFP

Preparations for the upcoming annual two sessions kicked off across China amid the COVID-19 epidemic as the Beijing traffic management authority conducted a thorough inspection of dozens of taxis that will serve the two sessions in late May. 

The taxis, provided by the Beijing Beiqi Taxi Group, went through a strict 37-item inspection including their exteriors, tires and brakes on Sunday. 

"The taxi should not even have a small scratch on the surface," an employee from the Beiqi group told media.

The taxi drivers should undergo training on preventing epidemics, fires and terrorism, according to the report. 

China's most important political events - the plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) - also known as the "two sessions," usually take place in March every year, but they were postponed to late May this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. 

Apart from the capital where the two sessions will take place, NPC deputies and CPPCC members across the country have also been preparing to come to the capital to attend the sessions. 

Chan Yung, a vice chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and an NPC deputy, told the Global Times on Sunday that he and other deputies as well as CPPCC members of Hong Kong will hold a press conference at the Legislative Council on Monday afternoon to brief the local media about their proposals and suggestions to be raised at the two sessions.

In East China's Jiangsu, 31 NPC deputies visited factories and companies, talking with workers and collecting their opinions and hearing their difficulties during the production resumption process, to draft proposals for the two sessions.     

According to media reports, the third plenary session of the 13th NPC will convene on May 22 in Beijing and the third annual session of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC will open on May 21. 

The total period for the two sessions is likely to be shortened to one week and see fewer reporters covering the event, according to delegates and reporters reached by the Global Times.