Shanghai unveils official microblog to serve the public

The Shanghai municipal government Monday launched the microblog "Shanghai City" on China's popular Twitter-like microblogging service Weibo.com. The microblog, officially verified as originating from the Information Office of Shanghai Municipal Government (IOSMG), has accumulated more than 30,000 followers in the five hours since its launch. According to IOSMG, the content of the postings will be mainly about new policies and regulations, practical information related to activities in Shanghai, and interactions with Internet users over issues of public concern. Vegetable prices, the selection of affordable housing, and upcoming cultural activities in Shanghai are included in the first several postings. Some 600 government agencies and 300 government officials of various levels in Shanghai have verified Weibo accounts, the IOSMG said. The "Shanghai Metro," the official microblog of the city's metro operator with over 1.15 million followers, is considered one of most influential government microblogs in China. The latest statistics show that China now has more than 300 million registered microblog users.