2011: Year of government micro-blogs

Edited and translated by People's Daily Online

The number of government micro-blog accounts on Sina Weibo, China’s leading micro-blogging service, reached about 20,000 as of early November, 2011, with 35 accounts operated by government agencies at the provincial or ministerial level and 14 by officials at the provincial or ministerial level.

Government micro-blogs have provided a platform for direct communication and interaction between officials and the public, for reducing the gaps in understanding between officials and the public, and for encouraging the silent majority to express their opinions.

“2010 is known as the first year of micro-blogging in China, and 2011 can be regarded the first year of government micro-blogging in the country,” Sina Editor-in-Chief Cheng Tong said at the 2011 Government Micro-blogging Summit on Dec. 12.

Government agencies embracing micro-blogging

Statistics showed that the number of verified government accounts on Sina Weibo reached about 20,000 as of early November, 2011, with more than 10,000 accounts operated by government agencies and nearly 9,000 by individual officials. In addition, 35 accounts are operated by government agencies at the provincial or ministerial level, and 14 by officials at the provincial or ministerial level.

The number of government accounts on Tencent Weibo, another major micro-blogging service in China, reached over 18,000 as of the end of September this year, with nearly 300 accounts operated by high-level government agencies and officials.