Officials' blogs are not decorations

It is not such a new development for government officials to have personal blogs. It is still amazing, however, that more than 60 county magistrates in Jiangxi province have started personal blogs since July last year.

It shows great progress in democratic politics that officials are opening personal blogs. The phenomenon has at least three merits: First, officials can better hear the voices of the people through their blogs; second, the officials' blogs can serve as a space where people's wisdom is gathered; and third, the blogs shorten the psychological distance between officials and citizens.