The annual meeting of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress (MPC), the city's lawmaking body, opens today at the Citizens' Center.

Forty foreign observers have been invited to attend the meeting, including consular officials from Guangzhou and Xiamen, and executives and experts with local companies and institutions.

Along with 301 deputies, the foreign observers will review a report by Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng on the city's social and economic development in 2006 and prospects for 2007.

This is the fourth time the MPC has invited foreign observers to view its annual session.

The municipal government work report will be available in an English-language version for the convenience of the observers.

During the session, lawmakers will also examine and endorse the city's draft budget for 2007 and the work reports tabled by the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court and the Shenzhen People's Procuratorate. The MPC session will close March 25.

Foreign reporters will be allowed to sit in on some of the panel discussions this year, a practice that was previously adopted by the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress.

Two press conferences will be held on the sidelines of the legislative meeting. The second press conference will be held after the session concludes.

Mayor Xu will be present at the second press conference Sunday to answer questions from reporters.

The session will also elect a vice mayor and a vice chairman of the MPC Standing Committee.

Editor: Yan