Shanghai's municipal government reached out to the mainland's growing number of social media users yesterday as it launched a series of microblogs to provide live updates on traffic conditions, air quality and other issues impacting life in the city.
The accounts - registered on the popular microblogging sites Sina Weibo and QQ, plus the city's two official news portals, Xinmin and Eastday - drew an immediate response after going live at 8.40am.
The QQ account alone had picked up more than 90,000 followers by yesterday afternoon, while the Weibo page had broken the 50,000 mark.
Run by the municipality's information office, with the username 'Shanghaicity', the accounts are part of a drive towards greater government transparency.
'We want to listen to the voice of the city, transmit information, share joy and experience progress,' the office said in its first post, while welcoming people to 'discuss Shanghai together'.
The Shanghai government is the latest in a string of public departments and agencies to take to cyberspace to reach out to the people.
