BEIJING -- The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee will open its annual session on Thursday, returning to its traditional March schedule after last year's session was postponed to May due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

But the fourth session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee will be shortened in the second year in a row over epidemic control requirements, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

This year's session will last six and a half days, instead of about 10 days for sessions before 2020, Guo Weimin, spokesperson for the session, told a press conference.

Successful practices including streamlining the process and holding events both online and offline during last year's session will be adopted to improve the efficiency and quality of the session this year, Guo said.

Other than the opening and closing meetings, there will be two plenary meetings and six group meetings during the session, Guo said, noting that one of the plenary meetings will be held via video link.

All the preparations for the session have been completed, Guo said.

Discussions on the draft outline of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the long-range objectives through the year 2035 will be high on the agenda at this year's session, said Guo while briefing the media on the main items of the agenda.

During the session, CPPCC members will hear and deliberate a report on the work of the Standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee and a report on how the proposals from CPPCC members have been handled, Guo said.

The CPPCC members will also sit in on the fourth session of the 13th National People's Congress as non-voting participants, hearing and discussing reports including a government work report, the spokesperson noted.

Foreign diplomatic envoys to China will be invited to observe the opening and closing meetings of the session, he added.

A number of Beijing-based Chinese and foreign reporters have been invited to cover the event at the Great Hall of the People, he said.