The government work report presented by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji to the first session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) that opened Wednesday described the achievements over the past five years in building socialist democracy and promoting socialist spiritual civilization as "outstanding".

¡¡¡¡The report says: Governments at all levels are ready to accept the supervision by the people's congresses and their standing committees at the same levels, tighten their ties with local committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and lend attentive ears to views presented by personages of non-communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages without party affiliation and people's organizations. Grassroots democracy has been expanded, with self-government by villagers and urban residents and the practice of making public the affairs of villages, enterprises and administrative work gradually spreading.

¡¡¡¡Progress has been accelerated in implementing the basic strategy of governing the country by law, making the governments at all levels perform their official duties in strict compliance with law, and speeding up the building of the legal system.

¡¡¡¡The State Council has over the past five years advanced 50 legislative proposals and promulgated 150 administrative statutes. In line with the requirements of a socialist market economy and China's WTO membership, the State Council made a sweeping review of 756 administrative statutes promulgated up to the end of 2000, abrogating 71 and nullifying 80 others. The agencies under the State Council went over 2,300 regulations and policies on foreign affairs and abrogated 830 and amended 325 others.

¡¡¡¡The government has also intensified administrative supervision, auditing and economic supervision, contributing significantly to promoting the exercise of administrative powers according to law, fighting corruption and building a clean government, and in uncovering major economic cases. All the measures adopted for the comprehensive improvement of law and order have been well put in place, resulting in a turn for the better in law and order, makingthe people feel more secure, according to the report.

¡¡¡¡Reviewing the fresh achievements in promoting spiritual civilization, the report says:

¡¡¡¡The drive to study and disseminate Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents has been brought into depth; the rule by law has been integrated with the rule by virtue; activities for promoting good manners and ethics and fostering new social conventions have been developing vigorously; promotion of good ideology and morality has been strengthened; scientific knowledge has been further popularized and scientific spirit has gained popularity; art and literature, news media and publishing as well as radio, film and television have developed in an all-round way; endless streams of fine works have come to the fore; reform and development in culture, health and sports have been accelerated; the struggle against the spread of pornography and illegal publications has been carried into depth; cultural exchanges with the outside world have never been more lively; health services in both urban and rural areas have been strengthened; achievements have been made in the prevention and control of major diseases; there was no major epidemics after natural disasters; the Outline Program for the Development of Women and Children has been implemented in real earnest; young people have been better educated and protected; work concerning the aging population has been unfolded; great progress was made inadvancing the cause of disabled people; sports with mass participation have been encouraged throughout the country; competitive sports have yielded good results, winning 485 world champions and setting 193 new world records; Beijing won the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games; and Shanghai secured the big to host the 2010 World Exposition.