Registration of foreign journalists to the media center, which is located in Beijing Media Center Hotel, shows that all major news outlets throughout the world have dispatched news gathering contingents to the congress, said Zhai Huisheng, who oversees the media center.

On behalf of the center, a coordination organ consisting of key officials from the CPC Central Committee Publicity Department, the State Council Information Office and the All-China Journalists Association, Zhai welcomed Chinese and overseas journalists at a reception.

Michael Lens of a Belgian newspaper, The Times, said the congress is "very important" and will "write the new guidelines for China's future."

Yap Pheng Hui, Beijing chief correspondent of Singapore Press Holdings, said he logged on the online survey organized by the xinhuanet (www.xinhuanet.com) before covering the news on the national congress. He said the scientific concept of development defined by the CPC central leadership is quite impressive. The concept will have a long impact on China's future development.

Heather Liu, who works for the Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Newspaper, said her company sends six reporters to the congress. She said she and her colleagues are interested in the CPC new leadership team and initiatives in political reform.

The media center, with a web portal of www.cpcnews.cn, provides journalists with free Internet access, free news photos taken by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, free audio-video signals from China Central Television, China National Radio and China Radio International, as well as free soft drinks.