Some of the questions asked so far include:

-- "As the delegates to the 16th National Congress of the CPC, what are you going to do during the meeting?"

-- "How can the CPC members play a leading role in social affairs in modern times?"

-- "Do you have any good suggestions on the nation's development of science and technology?"

Two delegates to the National Congress have been answering the public’s queries through xinhuanet.com, a news website affiliated to the Xinhua News Agency.

Zhou Xisheng, chief executive officer of the website, said it was the first time delegates had exchanged views with people through the Internet.

One of the delegates, Zhao Jingbo, 38, is the engineer-in-chief of the Hydraulic Pressure System Research Institution of Beijing Huade Group. She has led her research group in making breakthroughs in upgrading hydraulic pressure systems.

It is the first time Chang Guangsheng, 58, engineer-in-chief of Beijing Luqiao Group, has been selected as a delegate to the Congress. Chang helped build the famous Mosul Bridge in Iraq. Luqiao Group had two ordinary workers as delegates to the Ninth and 10th National Congresses of the CPC.

When the "netizens" asked about the leading role of CPC members, the two agreed that CPC members should represent advanced productivity and be active in putting theory into practice.

"Foreign experts praised our construction skills on the Mosul Bridge," said Chang.

Zhao Jingbo said scientists should participate in practice as well as doing research.

The two agreed that Chinese intellectuals' love for their country did not change with the times.

"Not during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when they were not respected, or in the new period, did they stop contributing to the development of China," said Chang.

The new generation of intellectuals were more concerned with self-fulfillment, which was considered wrong about 20 years ago, said Chang.

Zhao Jingbo said where people worked -- in state-owned or foreign enterprises or the private sector -- did not matter if they contributed to the country's development.

"I represent workers in the industry of road and bridge construction at the 16th National Congress of the CPC, the opening of which concerns the development of our country and my industry,” said Chang Guangsheng.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2002)