BEIJING - Beijing traffic authorities on Sunday announced restrictions to control traffic during the forthcoming top legislative meetings in March.

From February 28 to March 17, tight restrictions will be in place for vehicles with out-of-town licenses entering downtown Beijing encircled by its Fifth Ring road, said a spokesman for the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau.

Temporary licenses will be issued and will be valid for one week for passenger cars and three days for cargo vans. Special purpose vehicles, such as ambulances and police cars, will be exempt from the ban.

The annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's parliament, and the meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, will start in Beijing on March 5 and March 3, respectively.