When deputy Zhai Youcai addressed a panel presentation on behalf of farmers on Thursday, he said he was very grateful to Premier Wen Jiabao.

"My grandfather was a farmer. My father is a farmer, and I am a farmer as well, but we never dreamed of the day we would be free of agricultural tax before Wen took power in 2003," said the 43 years old from the Heilongjiang delegation to the National People's Congress.

That day finally arrived during Wen's first five-year term as premier.