Two years ago, Wang Chaobin proposed that farm taxes be reduced. Now the member of the National Committee of the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is elated his proposal had received a favorable response from the central government.

"I didn't expect my proposal to be acted upon so soon", Wang said. He put forward his proposal in 2003 when attending the first plenary session of the 10th CPPCC.

When Premier Wen Jiabao announced last March that China planned to phase out the agricultural tax within five years, Wang was pleasantly surprised.

"The central government's swift response was beyond my expectation, which shows it takes our proposals really seriously", said Wang, who is now attending the third plenary of the 10th CPPCC, which opened yesterday in Beijing.

Up to now, 22 out of China's 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions on the mainland have scrapped all farming taxes.

"I am totally satisfied with government's response to our proposals and we, CPPCC members, should perform our duty by putting forward more well-studied proposals", said Wang, an entrepreneur from Central China's Henan Province.

Wang is one of the more-than 2,000 CPPCC members who advise the government.

According to Zhang Huaixi, CPPCC vice-chairperson, a total of 4,478 proposals were submitted last year, of which 4,263 cases were taken up for consideration. This is a big jump from 2003 -- the numbers that year were 3,819 and 3,576 respectively.

Last year, proposals concerning agriculture issues amounted to 300 while proposals on employment issues exceeded 200, according to Zhang, who made a report yesterday on the action taken on proposals at the opening ceremony of the third session of the 10th CPPCC.

Raising proposals is one of the major ways through which the CPPCC, country's top advisory body, participates in State affairs.” Both the Party and the government have paid close attention to many of these proposals," said Zhang.

Indeed, many new policy initiatives in recent years were formulated after taking into consideration the proposals raised by the CPPCC.

One of them is the new green GDP calculation initiative under which environmental costs are deducted from the GDP which is being implemented in 10 provinces and municipalities.

"The CPPCC's proposals should play an even bigger role in reinvigorating the Chinese nation," said Zhang, adding that the CPPCC will take a series of measures to strengthen work on proposals.

For example, it will increase its proposal-tracking efforts to ensure that proposals are taken seriously or implemented.

As for Wang, he is preparing to make another proposal.

(China Daily March 4, 2005)