BEIJING, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- The media center of the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) was formally opened in Beijing Thursday.

  Some 300 journalists have registered to cover the meeting slated for Sept. 3-5.

  This was the very first international political party meeting ever sponsored by the Communist Party of China (CPC), said Wang Jiarui, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee and vice-chairman and secretary-general of the meeting's organizing committee.

  "It is a grand gathering for political parties from various Asian countries to share their experience in running the party and state affairs, explore ways of friendly cooperation, formulate strategies of peace and development through joint consultation and promote regional cooperation in Asia," Wang said. 

  He hoped the journalists could present Asia and the whole world an "open, equal, cooperative and constructive" regional and multilateral party conference.

  Pool interviews with delegates and some press conferences will be held at the media center, which is located at the Beijing Hotel.

  Journalists will be provided with English and Chinese-language materials about the meeting, telephones, faxes, computers and information service at the center.

  The theme of the third ICAPP is "Exchange, Cooperation and Development," and the main topics include "regional security and multilateral cooperation, economic growth and social progress, party building and thenational development." 

  Over 80 political parties from 34 countries will attend the three-day meeting.

  The ICAPP was initiated in 2000 with the previous two conferences held in the Philippines and Thailand respectively. 

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