China has announced that it will postpone the National People's Congress (NCP) - the annual meeting of parliament and one of the most important political occasions of the year.

The 10-day long event was due to start on March 5, but has been delayed due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, state media has reported.

The annual meeting is held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing and sees President Xi Jinping address nearly 3,000 delegates, issue the annual budget, pass major legislation and lay out the agenda for the year ahead.

Postponing the event is highly unusual - even during the Sars outbreak in 2003, the NCP went ahead as planned. It is thought to be the first time the meeting has been delayed since the Cultural Revolution.

CCTV, a state owned broadcaster, wrote in a statement online:

"The decision was clear, and the convening of the third meeting of the 13th National People's Congress was appropriately postponed. "The specific meeting time shall be decided separately by the NPC Standing Committee."

China's top legislative body, which made the decision to postpone the NCP, also formally decided to ban all illegal wildlife trade and consumption in China. Wildlife is believed to be the source of the virus responsible for the epidemic.