Chinese netizens were upbeat after Premier Li Keqiang showed pollution-fighting resolve to address the public's complaints.

"Environmental pollution is a blight on people's quality of life and a trouble that weighs on their hearts. We must fight it with all our might," Li said at the opening of the annual National People's Congress.

With Li's promise and enforcement of a new environmental protection law that promises harsh penalties for environmental infractions, netizens say they are confident that "green hills, blue water and clear air" will return.

"I see the strong words in Premier Li's speech, and we hope more powerful and concrete measures will be taken afterwards," said Weibo user "Wuziqian."

"I believe we are not far from a blue sky now as the premier has spoken," said "ruoshuisibing" on Weibo.

According to an online poll conducted jointly by China Youth Daily and Lightspeed GMI on late Thursday, more than 66 percent of the 2,611 respondents said they had closely followed Premier Li's report and 63 percent said their top expectation is for the government to use an "iron fist" to tackle pollution.