Social issues the hottest: surveys

时间：2007-03-02 01:56:51

（单词翻译:单击）

Mar1.2 - Tax, education fees and healthcare are among the top issues people want addressed by China's top legislative2 and advisory3 bodies, the National People's Congress (NPC), next week.

 

An online poll on Sina.com, one of the country's most popular websites, said rocketing property prices, lax food safety supervision4 and misappropriated social security should also be a priority.

 

An overwhelming 76 percent of the 11,577 respondents said medical care and the reform of the country's medical system was their primary concern.

 

The poll echoes a 2006 national survey, which showed that 48.9 percent of Chinese people did not bother or could not afford to see a doctor when they were ill. And 29.6 percent refused a doctor's advice to be hospitalized because the cost was too high.

 

Other similar polls launched by websites as Xinhua.net revealed similar results.

 

"With food, education, healthcare and housing as the essential needs, we cannot live a good life without a fair social system extended to these fields," Wu Jian, a resident of Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, said.

 

Complaints on social issues increased in recent years, sparked by successive food safety accidents and social security scandals.

 

Zheng Gongcheng, a NPC deputy and professor with Renmin University of China, said that for years much energy had been put on China's economic growth and its reform.

 

"However, the key task for the government this year is to let all people share the achievement the country has made," Zheng was quoted by the Southern Weekend as saying.

 

"It has come to a point that social inequality should be ended.

 

"That is why social concerns are in the spotlight5 for this year's sessions."

 

But Zheng also said that the central leadership had already made efforts to address social concerns such as health.

 

This was evident in the government's plans to continue extending its health care network in rural areas and in urban communities, he said.

 

The rural cooperative healthcare system will cover at least 80 percent of counties this year.

 

Minister of Health Gao Qiang also has pledged to reform the country's medical care system in 2007, and will include reducing health care costs.

 

Additionally, there are plans from this year to exempt6 all students in rural areas from various fees in their nine-year compulsory7 education.

 

It has already exempted8 students in rural areas of western China from compulsory education fees. The exemption9 policy will be expanded to the central and eastern regions.

 
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1 mar f7Kzq     
vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟
参考例句：
  • It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
  • Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。
2 legislative K9hzG     
n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的
参考例句：
  • Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
  • Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。
3 advisory lKvyj     
adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询
参考例句：
  • I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
  • He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。
4 supervision hr6wv     
n.监督，管理
参考例句：
  • The work was done under my supervision.这项工作是在我的监督之下完成的。
  • The old man's will was executed under the personal supervision of the lawyer.老人的遗嘱是在律师的亲自监督下执行的。
5 spotlight 6hBzmk     
n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目
参考例句：
  • This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
  • The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。
6 exempt wmgxo     
adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者
参考例句：
  • These goods are exempt from customs duties.这些货物免征关税。
  • He is exempt from punishment about this thing.关于此事对他已免于处分。
7 compulsory 5pVzu     
n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的
参考例句：
  • Is English a compulsory subject?英语是必修课吗？
  • Compulsory schooling ends at sixteen.义务教育至16岁为止。
8 exempted b7063b5d39ab0e555afef044f21944ea     
使免除[豁免]( exempt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • His bad eyesight exempted him from military service. 他因视力不好而免服兵役。
  • Her illness exempted her from the examination. 她因病而免试。
9 exemption 3muxo     
n.豁免，免税额，免除
参考例句：
  • You may be able to apply for exemption from local taxes.你可能符合资格申请免除地方税。
  • These goods are subject to exemption from tax.这些货物可以免税。

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