Online message
0 
"Look at the big, fat faces of the cadres in Guandong village, there is no way they do not embezzle funds."
What do you do with a post like this on a government website? Delete it. To say the least, it is not just an allegation without any evidence whatsoever, it is also a personal attack.
But officials in Xindu district of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, did not do that. Instead, they replied:
"According to an investigation by the township discipline inspection committee, no acts of embezzlement were found in cadres of Guandong village. If you have specific evidence that they did embezzle, please report the wrongdoing directly to the township discipline inspection committee."
"A special reminder: You should not judge if a person embezzles or not based on his or her being fat or thin."
We have no idea whether the officials actually passed the buck and stalled off people's complaints. But the way the government of Xindu interacts with netizens is unique.
This is inspiring because the authorities take the well-touted e-government concept seriously. In these days of the Internet, almost every local government has set up its own website at Beijing's request. The practice is meant to increase transparency and facilitate communication with the public.
The pervasive truth, however, is that such websites are by and large another platform for government monologue. What happens at www.xindu.gov.cn shows how much more can be done.
The way the Xindu government deals with online public opinion can be an example of how all governments faithful to their duties and promises should behave.
Being open to criticisms is essential for a government with a true commitment to good governance. Those turning a deaf ear to people's complaints or even putting up a facade that all is well cannot provide fine leadership, because they lack the commitment to public service. It is also increasingly costly to censor the Internet, if it can even be done effectively.
The Xindu government website wins hearts because it does not conceal or stall off criticisms and instead faces them squarely. Local officials say their approach aims to smoothen two-way communication and demolish the "invisible wall" between the government and the public.
To achieve that, they have done two things that others have found difficult. They reply to every letter posted and they have never deleted any message, no matter how unfriendly it is.
That should not be difficult for any government aspiring to deliver good governance - and www.xindu.gov.cn should no longer be a single case.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments