Xinhua Insight: Communist Party microblogs to reach out to public

Xinhua Insight: Communist Party microblogs to reach out to public

GUANGZHOU, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Microblogging has penetrated manyfacets of modern life, from everyday interaction between friends todealings between commercial entities. Now, it seems that even thegovernment is getting in on the action, with the establishment ofofficial microblogs for the Communist Party of China (CPC)

The use of microblogs to communicate with the nation's citizensmight be seen as an echo of the late Mao Zedong's principle of "fromthe masses, to the masses."

After posting more than 500 microblog entries since March lastyear, Chen Jianhua, Party secretary of the city of Heyuan in southChina's Guangdong Province called on the city government's 69spokesmen to open their own microblogging account, with a usernameof "Public Servants."

Readers of Chen's posts refer to him as "Brother Hua."

"I am currently reviewing government information releases, pleasegive me your advice," said one entry, which Chen posted while takingcourses at the Jinggangshan Cadre College last week.

The college is one of China's three high-profile CPC trainingcolleges. It aims to "improve the quality and capability of leadingcadres" and conduct international training exchanges.

"The opening of the 'Public Servants' microblog account showsthat the Party is learning to follow online trends and, moreimportantly, ensure the people's right to know, participate, expressand supervise," Chen said.

Microblogging has become increasingly popular among Chinesegovernment agencies and officials.

According to a survey by the Shanghai-based Fudan University, atotal of 720 Party members had opened microblog accounts by the endof March this year. Among them were high-profile officials likeZhang Chunxian, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous RegionalCommittee of the CPC.

An additional 1,708 government agencies also have accounts. TheGuangdong Province Administration for Industry & Commerce opened itsfirst account under the username "Spokesman" in August 2009.

Guangdong's 15 province-level agencies each have their ownaccount, allowing the public to reach out and contact them moreeasily than ever before.

"It's more than just opening an account. Using different, moreaccessible language in their posts displays the CPC's ability toadapt its communication with the people," said Guo Weiqing, aprofessor at Sun Yat-Sen University.

"New, more casual styles of writing will help shorten thedistance between the public and the officials," said Guo.

The public image of your typical CPC official is not always animpressive one, as the public is often skeptical about the promisesand statements of high-level officials.

However, through online interactions, CPC officials have improvedtheir image, appearing more confident and less mysterious, said FanYijin, a media expert at Jinan University.

Nevertheless, most popular Chinese bloggers are celebrities,scholars, critics and businesspeople. Many netizens were shockedwhen wealthy investor Wang Gongquan posted his plans to elope withhis mistress last month.

Last year, the opening of the country's first police microblogaccount was considered "somewhat adventurous" by Chen Yongbo, thepublic relations chief of the police force of the city of Zhaoqingin south China's Guangdong Province.

"Somewhat adventurous" might be a polite way to put it. An eastChina official recently made trouble for himself when he mistakenlybelieved he was using a private channel to arrange a date with awoman presumed to be his mistress. The official accidentally postedhis arrangements on his microblog for the entire world to see.

Xie Zhiqiang, director of the health bureau of the city of Liyangin Jiangsu Province, was suspended from his post and is underinvestigation, the city's publicity department said in a writtenstatement issued on Tuesday.

Observers said it remains a long shot for most CPC officials towield a considerable personal presence among the country's 457million Internet users.