Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao plans to take part in an online chat with Internet users around the country and overseas on Saturday, state media said, in a repeat of a similar exercise last year.

The discussion scheduled for 3pm (0700 GMT) will be shown live on the central government's website gov.cn and the official Xinhua news agency website, Xinhua said today.

The report did not provide details on what he plans to discuss.

Wen first chatted with web users in February 2009, broaching issues including corruption among officials and having a shoe thrown at him by a protestor.

The discussion attracted thousands of questions from people in China and abroad, with some querying the amount he earned, how long he slept a day, and how much alcohol he could drink, Xinhua reported.

Wen has tried to forge a reputation as a man of the people, contrasting with his colleagues in the ruling Communist Party hierarchy who come across as much more staid.

China has the world's largest online population with at least 384 million users, according to official figures.

However the Internet in China is also regarded as one of the most heavily censored, with the communist authorities seeking to block a wide range of issues they believe may threaten their rule.

- AFP