In Shenzhen, southern Guangdong Province, the local legislature recently issued a circular on shenzhen.net.cn, asking citizens to contribute suggestions for its legislative work this year. In Beijing, the municipal government has posted a notice on Beijing.gov.cn, soliciting public views on 56 major public undertakings also planned this year.
Nationwide, cases of the government using the Internet to communicate with the public have been increasing rapidly.
"Thanks to the Internet, the degree of public participation in China's community affairs has reached an unprecedented level," said Zhou Sheng, a university teacher in Beijing.
The government has been vigorously promoting this trend with the launch of two projects - building a transparent government and also constructing an e-government.
The first part of the plan requires government agencies across the country to publicize important information such as fiscal revenue and municipal expenditures while also disclosing major decisions and plans.
The second portion encourages government agencies to use computer networks - including the Internet - to improve the transparency of public affairs. It will also stimulate different ideas for major decisions and help streamline bureaucratic procedures.
"Lots of government agencies have come to regard the Internet as a useful tool, one that would help them make better decisions," said Professor Liu Qinglong of Qinghua University, who is heading a research program on e-government.
Besides collecting ideas, the government also looks upon Internet bulletin boards, online chat rooms and Website voting systems as everyday channels to interact with its citizens.
In Wuhu, Anhui Province, a special bulletin board has been established on the city's Website. Residents use it to relate grievances. The operator of the board passes these people to the appropriate government departments, which are obligated to supply feedback.
The Beijing municipal government is considering establishing a similar opinion collecting system sometime this year.
Online chatting was once dominated by younger generations seeking fun, searching for romance and practicing English. Nowadays, scholars and high-level government officials have joined the Internet frenzy.
On December 23 last year, China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing participated in a scheduled online chat session that lasted about two hours. The content ranged from China's foreign policy, Sino-US and Sino-Japanese relations to Li's personal life.
Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and other government offices have also participated in online chats arranged by Websites with topics ranging from the significance of certain new policies to the work style of the government and other key issues.
Nowadays, the general public now knows much more about government administration than any other period in the history of China. The Internet has played a massive role in this change.
Public response to the new opportunities created by the Internet has been enthusiastic.
According to xinhuanet.com, more than 40,000 people participated in the online chat with Foreign Minister Li last December.
One user, in response, wrote: "This is further evidence of the creative work style of the current administration. I hope it will serve as a good example for other government officials to follow."
Quelle: EastDay, 30.01.2004
