China launches online bulletin board for citizens

The Chinese government has launched an online bulletin board where citizens can write messages to top political leaders, the latest attempt by the Communist Party to link propaganda and internet public relations techniques, the Financial Times reported. The online bulletin board, "Direct Line to Zhongnanhai," which refers to the compound housing party leaders’ offices and homes in central Beijing, features a box where users can type in messages and send them to various politburo members, including President Hu Jintao. The publicity move is part of leaders’ efforts to demonstrate responsiveness and transparency without ceding the party’s grip on power. It is also seen as a means of counterbalancing an internet-driven dilution of state media’s traditional information monopoly. The 37,746 messages received by Hu Jintao on the new page’s first day of operation were reportedly a mix of supportive posts and mild expressions of concern over economic and social issues.