Beijing, Shanghai (CNS) – A growing number of governmental organs are embracing the use of microblogs as platforms to release information and communicate with the public. According to the latest statistics, over 10,000 authorities and 9,000 officials are registered with Sina Weibo, China's answer to Twitter.
To date, 70 departments of Beijing's municipal authority are registered with the Beijing Microblog Press Center of Sina Weibo, including 28 units that joined collectively on March 1.
As of February 24, the Beijing center had attracted nearly six million followers; over one million of which are local web users responding and contributing to dialogues. The more than 70,000 overseas web users following information updates are noticeable, presumably fishing for information on the capital.
Officers representing their departments conduct effective and almost constant communications with web users, often in quite casual terms as opposed to formal disclosures; in this manner, suggested Yan Liqiang, deputy director of Beijing's Municipal Publicity Department, authorities can better understand public opinion and respond appropriately to issues and concerns.
The Shanghai municipal government is also enthusiastically developing official microblogs. The one operated by Shanghai's government press office has some 750,000 followers on Sina Weibo, accumulated since the office up their official online mouthpiece last year, according to a report by the People's Daily on February 20.
On March 1, secretary of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee Yu Zhengsheng, posted an open letter responding to Xiaoqin, a local resident who appealed for better medical treatment for his father who suffers from cancer.
"We will try to improve the medical mechanism, particularly by offering more help to cancer patients," said Yu, "Your pain is our pain. We will walk through this together." The official's frank, caring attitude over civil affairs is enhanced by this new channel for government outreach.
