Chinese citizens were somewhat more satisfied with the quality of public services last year than in 2006, a survey by Horizon Research, a Beijing-based private research and consultancy, indicates.

The nationwide survey, involving in-person interviews of 3,715 urban and rural residents, found that public services were given a satisfaction score of 65.2 points, compared with 63.1 points in 2006. A perfect score would be 100.

Basic education and public security got the top ratings. Other highly ranked areas were employment and social security programs such as pensions and health care, it added.

Horizon Research chairman Victor Y. Yuan said the higher ratings showed that the government had tried to improve public services but much more still needed to be done.

The interviewees, aged from 18 to 60, were from seven large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an, seven smaller cities and 10 rural areas in eastern Zhejiang and southwestern Sichuan provinces.

Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu were the top-ranked among the major cities in their public service levels.

The survey was carried out in the third quarter of last year. Each interview lasted about 50 minutes.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2008)