Yue was also told to report in three months' time to the municipal People's Congress on tackling problems in rural development, which was put forward by deputies after soliciting opinions from farmers and all quarters of agriculture.

After Yue finished a work report on his position since 1997, a total of 20 deputies delivered speeches giving their own comments of his performance and the agricultural development of Beijing in recent years.

"It is my obligation to receive supervision from the municipal People's Congress," said Yue.

"Thanks to Yue's contributions which have been indispensable, the economic development on Beijing's outskirts and in mountainous areas has seen a remarkable increase since 1997," said Liu Shuli, a member of the standing committee of the congress.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Beijing's agriculture saw an annual increase of 10.1 percent in 2000. The net income per farmer in Beijing's suburbs last year reached 4,687 yuan (US$565), up 7.3 percent from 1999, which is the highest rate of increase throughout China.

Liu's remarks were echoed by most deputies, saying that Yue is a qualified public servant who successfully implements the law on agriculture, law on the popularization and application of agricultural technologies, and other relevant laws and rules.

However, all the speakers illustrated their dissatisfaction with aspects ranging from the disappointing social order in the suburbs to the fractious condition of technology popularization in rural areas.

These issues deserved Yue's concern and should be dealt with as quickly as possible, deputies said.

The criticism of deputies was summarized to four serious problems, which have been submitted to Yue with remedial measures being submitted to the municipal's congress in three months, according to Zhang Yanli, vice-director of the municipal congress.

"Criticism helps me to look self-critically at my work and have a more comprehensive and balanced idea about it," said Yue after hearing comments by deputies.

Yue vowed to solve the problems as quickly as possible and give a satisfactory answer to deputies and farmers before the deadline.

With the preparation work initiated two months ago, the review conference has aroused wide public attention and attracted some citizens to attend.

"I just want to see how the People's Congress reviews a senior administrative official," said Yuan Huatao, member of the Beijing-based China Aerospace Corporation.

Some deputies reiterated the significance of enhancing the people's supervision over officials, citing the case of former Beijing Mayor Chen Xitong, who was convicted of corruption and sentenced to jail.

Sources from the National People's Congress said the legislature is drafting laws regarding the legislature's review over administrative officials.

"This new measure will promote democracy in China to a large extent," said Professor Ning Sao of Peking University's Department of Political Science and Public Administration.

The professor also said the supervision reform should be popularized progressively, instead of indiscriminately.

(China Daily 06/25/2001)