In pictures: China's annual parliament

The ninth annual National People's Congress is being held in Beijing's Great Hall of the People in Tiananmen Square.

Delegates from all over China are attending the conference, at which the country has announced measures such as increased spending on social welfare and employment programmes to help keep the country out of recession.

The parliament is being held in the spectacular Great Hall of the People

These women, former soldiers, are working as attendants to delegates at the Congress

Representatives from China's ethnic minorities, such as these from the southern Guizhou province, are attending

Military police have maintained strict security throughout the delegates' meetings

Inside, a lengthy speech led China's Premier Zhu Rongji (r) to mop his face in exhaustion

...while some delegates found sleep the best option