China's parliament starts annual session

BEIJING, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The 12th National People's Congress (NPC), China's parliamentary body, opened its first annual session Tuesday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Premier Wen Jiabao delivered a government work report at the opening meeting, chaired by Zhang Dejiang, executive chairperson of the session's presidium.

Nearly 3,000 NPC deputies from across the country attended the opening meeting along with top Party and state leaders Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Keqiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.