Govt urged to improve services through instant messaging

The State Internet Information Office (SIIO) on Wednesday urged governments at all levels to use instant messaging to improve services to the public.

The SIIO encouraged governments above the county level to open public messaging accounts in fields including education, public security, and civil affairs.

A circular from the SIIO said the number of public government affairs accounts should reach 60,000 by the end of this year.

Public accounts for government affairs should be developed with a plan, and services should meet the diversified demands of Internet users, according to the circular.

The SIIO called for governments at all levels to respond to people's concerns in a timely manner through their public accounts.

It also ordered authorities across the country to use their public accounts to solicit public opinion.

Instant messaging services are important for upgrading governance and improving the relationship between the people and the Party, it said.

Official data showed that more than 800 million people in China are users of instant messaging services, including the popular WeChat app.