Editorials

Really for the people

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-19 08:01

Congratulations to those running www.703804.com. Uneasy as they are, local authorities are now trying to make amends with the website, dubbed the "nongovernmental xinfang bureau" by fans and users. A platform to discuss local government affairs that made a name for itself by breaking major scandals of fraud in government offices, the site can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Since it was established seven years ago, the site has been in a "guerilla war" with local government officials. Authorities have tried to mute the site, which allows users to air their complaints about local governments or expose alleged scandals by officials. After changing its locations and servers 17 times in China, the desperate operators moved their servers to Canada, where they found "relative peace".

But they are now back at home, an outcome of a change in attitude and approach from authorities. Local officials are no longer trying to shut it down. Instead, they are making efforts to communicate.

This is a win-win situation for everyone. The public can retain a forum to express their concerns. The operators can live without worries.

The biggest winner, however, are the local authorities. Shutting down a website without convincing reasons will deprive citizens of their constitutional right of free speech. There are no benefits for authorities to suppress the spread of negative information by shutting down a website. Not to mention that authorities would have lost all their credibility in shuttering the site.

Seen from a different perspective, as some do now, such a website can provide invaluable information for local administrators to refine their governance. There are plenty of official xinfang establishments charged specifically to listen to the voice of the people and their dissatisfaction with the government. But bureaucratic red tape has effectively prevented them from becoming the expected channel of information about government performance. The nongovernmental website can offer precious reference if the authorities are truly into improving their work.

(China Daily 03/19/2010 page8)