Embracing social media

The October guideline requires that ministries and provincial governments improve the release of information through multiple channels such as official websites, news briefings and online social networks, including WeChat and Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.

Wang Hui, a spokeswoman for Beijing municipal government, said online social networks have provided a new platform through which she can communicate with the public. In a micro blog posted in early August, Cui Yongyuan, a well-known talk show anchor with China Central Television, complained to Wang about the high levels of wastage of construction materials in Beijing.

Wang quickly replied, saying that she had responded immediately by coordinating an investigation into the issue among relevant government departments, and, at her urging, the municipal government also carried out a massive campaign to clean construction waste at the end of August.

As of late June, more than 79,000 government agencies and officials had set up micro blog accounts on Weibo and, so far, have issued 60.63 million posts, according to a report by Weibo on July 30.

Cheng Manli, a professor of journalism at Peking University, said micro blogs have become an important outlet for government information, partly because 20,000 government agencies and officials registering verified micro blogs two years ago.

"Micro blogs provide a platform for the timely and direct release of information. Public opinion can also be ascertained through readers' comments," she said.

Rather than spouting cliches, many government micro blogs employ buzzwords, such as calling netizens "honey", a term frequently used in communications between online retailers and shoppers.

Wang Hui said communicating with netizens in a softer, more relaxed tone helps to improve communications. "Sometimes I have been hurt by ruthless and unreasonable comments made by netizens, but I can't react in kind. I have to explain things patiently on my micro blog so people will understand me," she added.