Maverick official's blogs give life to 'zombie' accounts

When a vice-governor of Guizhou province called domestic critics "human scumbags" on a popular Chinese micro-blogging platform this week, he immediately drew the fury of Internet users who demanded an apology for his gaffe.

In a heated exchange with other Web users on violence in China and the United States, Vice-Governor Chen Mingming also wrote that "unpatriotic" people should have plastic surgery so they won't be recognized as Chinese and should "go to the US - the faster the better!"

But despite harsh public criticism, the Chinese "micro terror" - during which public figures dropping controversial remarks are often judged and shamed to the cheers of netizens - didn't befall the senior official. Instead, many have called for tolerance and forgiveness for Chen's courage to engage in a public debate and speak his mind, which is something rare in China's ethereal world where official micro-blogging is better known for its pomp and inactivity.

As a way to connect with the public, in recent years, many government departments and officials have set up micro blogs that are considered a powerful tool to break news and gather information. Sina, a major micro-blogging host, now has nearly 80,000 such accounts, including more than 30 owned by officials like Chen who hold powerful positions at provincial or ministerial levels.

However, after the initial fanfare and buzz, most of these accounts have either been used as bulletin boards to post press releases or trumpet government achievements, or have become "zombie" accounts, as they are popularly called. Sina has found that only 15 percent of its micro blogs run by officials have published any "original content".

People suspect many officials open accounts just to prove that they are social media savvy, a requirement of modern leadership. In one oft-cited case, the executive vice-mayor of a city in Shanxi province opened a micro blog and garnered more than 30,000 followers. But he has posted only five tweets - all in one day last November about his city's real estate development - and his account has since become "dormant".