Shanghai Daily news

Premier Wen Jiabao's government work report delivered at the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress has received comments from more than 200 million Chinese Netizens.

Thousands of messages were posted on forums of portal Websites soon after the report was issued.

The China Central TV Website held an online survey called "voting when watching TV."

It found about 48 percent of Netizens considered the most significant progress by the government over the past five years was rescinding the agricultural tax, ending the centuries-old practice of farmers paying taxes.

Netizens rated making free compulsory education available to rural students the second most significant progress, while the third was improved living standards.

Netizens also supported efforts to make China more innovative.

Progress made in reforming state-owned enterprises, the financial system, fiscal and taxation systems, the system of foreign trade and economic cooperation, and the administrative system also received votes.

The votes were supported by numerous messages.

The messages showed Netizens regarded the progress in people's livelihood as the most encouraging achievement.

They also believed that the government clearly knew the problems and challenges ahead.

The report said the government completely rescinded the agricultural tax, livestock tax and tax on special agricultural products throughout China, reducing the burden on farmers by 133.5 billion yuan (US$18.8 billion) a year.

''It is a shining landmark in Chinese history," said a Netizen at the CCTV Website who went by the name of Little Revolutionary.

"Many farmers appreciated this greatly."

Another Netizen named Bluecollar on Xinhuanet wrote: "The report faced a lot of problems about people's livelihood.

"The report posts the achievements of the past five years; more importantly, it calmly judges the current situation."

(Xinhua)