Media center ready for reporters

The media center used for the annual sessions of China's top legislature and advisory body opened on Friday in Beijing's Media Center Hotel, with new efforts to provide journalists with better service.

More than 3,000 reporters, including nearly 1,000 representatives of foreign media, applied to cover the sessions of the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which are scheduled to convene in Beijing next week.

At the center on Friday, several bulletin boards, including electronic ones, clarified various workplaces and service zones for journalists in Chinese and English.

The center has free Wi-Fi, and at least 15 public computer ports have been provided in the lobby. Reporters can charge their cellphones using another device.

"We also set up an operations station in the hotel. If journalists need 4G networks, our employees on duty would like to help them," said an officer of China Unicom.

"We'll provide safe, and fast networks and Internet services for reporters," the official added.

During the sessions, journalists will enjoy two kinds of set meals made up of various dishes in the dining room near the public network zone, as well as free tea service.

"We will provide convenient services for journalists after we did some research to understood their needs," said Zhu Shouchen, deputy director of the two sessions' media center.

Reporters will get free leaflets and books with basic information about China in both Chinese and English at the media center.

Zhong Xuequan, another deputy director of the two sessions' press center, said that the schedule for the NPC conferences will be disclosed on Wednesday via the center's website and Wechat account.

Journalists can search deputies' lists online at npc.gov.cn, and more information about the sessions will be published online in a timely manner, he said.

"News conferences will be held almost every day during the NPC session, while many ministers will come to answer journalists' questions at that time," he said.