The majority of Chinese people are still confident of the country's development prospect in spite of the global economic downturn, a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics said.

More than 80 percent of the 10,000 people polled in 18 cities and 20 counties said they expect the country to maintain a steady and fairly fast economic growth despite the global financial crisis which has already started to affect China.

The survey, conducted in November, covered 500 urban residential communities and 100 townships and villages across the country.

The Chinese government announced a 4 trillion-yuan economic stimulus package in November aimed at boosting domestic demand.

Over 90 percent of the respondents said they are "very confident" or "fairly confident" of the country's development orientation and prospect on the road of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

About five sixths of the surveyed said they expect the country to have built a well-off society by the end of 2020.

Only five percent said they either do not have enough faith in the country's future development, or do not have any faith at all.

The survey also showed most of the people polled are satisfied with the government work in 2008.

More than 95 percent said they feel satisfied with the government's response in disaster relief during the snow storms in early 2008 and the May 12 earthquake centered in southwestern Sichuan Province. More than 80 percent said they are satisfied with how the government dealt with the Lhasa riot on March 14 last year.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2009)