The press center for the second session of the 14th NPC and the second session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee opens on February 27, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

As China moves closer to the annual "two sessions," a press center for China's upcoming annual legislative and political consultative sessions opened Tuesday, at the Media Center Hotel in Beijing, with more than 3,000 reporters having registered to cover the key meetings.

The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) and the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will open on March 5 and 4, respectively, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The Standing Committee of the NPC concluded its eighth session Tuesday in Beijing. 

The Standing Committee of the Tianjin Municipal People's Congress has decided to accept Qin Gang's resignation from his role as a deputy to the 14th NPC, Xinhua reported.   

As of now, the 14th NPC has 2,956 deputies, state-broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday afternoon.

To cover the two sessions, more than 3,000 reporters have registered, including more than 1,000 from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and abroad, according to the press center.

Xinhua reported that the number of journalists at home and abroad has increased significantly compared with recent years, noting that the press center of the two sessions will uphold the spirit of openness and transparency to provide news services for journalists.

The press conference hall and the press center interview rooms here have been prepared for a series of interview activities to be conducted.

The press center for the two sessions will also utilize the internet to provide a range of services and measures to make the work of domestic and foreign journalists more convenient.

Electronic versions of the main conference documents will be provided to journalists, so they don't need to wait in long queues to collect them.

Interview rooms will also be set up at the accommodation of NPC deputies and members of the CPPCC National Committee.

A senior Japanese journalist who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday that they are closely following the updates about the two sessions, as the big Chinese political event provides direct insight into China's overall direction in the new year. The journalist said he looks forward to China's defense budget as well as gross domestic product targets for the year which are expected to be unveiled during the two sessions.

Chinese experts said this year's two sessions will be focused on high-quality development and how to further boost confidence in the Chinese economy.

China's first-tier economic heavyweight cities - 26 cities each with a GDP of more than 1 trillion yuan ($139.1 billion) in 2023 - have set their annual GDP targets a notch higher this year, as localities concluded their local two sessions earlier this year.