Nearly 1,000 foreign journalists and information officers from foreign embassies are expected to report on the annual sessions of the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) starting in Beijing next week.

He Jiangchuan, an official with the organizing committee for the reception of foreign journalists, said 834 foreign journalists from 126 countries had submitted applications for attending the meetings before the Friday morning deadline.

More than 150 press officials from foreign embassies and international organizations will also cover the proceedings. In all, the number of applicants was 25 percent more than the previous year, he said.