ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to fill the gap in existing research by offering several case studies of proactive use of the Internet by Chinese state actors to improve government transparency, accountability and responsiveness to citizens, strengthen the state's ability to monitor and influence public opinion and sentiments, and enhance the efficacy of official propaganda. These case studies suggest that Chinese government actors are capable of adapting to new challenges and opportunities in the information age and have actively explored ways of using the Internet to boost the regime's political legitimacy and social management capacity. The party-state has so far managed to allow Internet-enabled better access to information, more space for free speech, denser social networking and increased political participation to occur while still keeping them within safe bounds. Information and communications technology (ICT) and its applications in political, economic and social spheres are developing rapidly. They may not cause revolution in China, but evolution is inevitable.
