The rocketing popularity of China's central government website, which now ranks second only to the Canadian equivalent among major government Internet sites, is surely a cause for rejoicing.

A rapidly growing population of domestic netizens, which exceeded 100 million in 2005, partly explains why the website has zoomed up the list in terms of traffic.

But the main catalyst is in fact the authoritativeness and inclusiveness of "www.gov.cn" that guaranteed the applause it won immediately after it was launched at the start of the year.

The new website serves as a platform for the departments under the State Council, and the provincial, autonomous regional and municipal governments across the country from which information on governmental affairs is released and online services are provided.

It has four sections that respectively provide information about government affairs, online services for citizens, enterprises and residents from overseas, interactive communication between governments and citizens, and other applied functions.

With the establishment of such a powerful central government website, many believe the country is poised to substantially improve the government's working style and build up a transparent, effective, practical and clean government.

Yet, to usher in a new phase in promoting e-governance, this new website must avoid the failure of many local government websites in serving users and the public at large.

The idea of e-governance was not dreamt up by the Chinese authorities. Since late 1990s, local governments at various levels have set up more than 10,000 websites. All of them were supposed to make use of cutting-edge information technology to boost local governments' efficiency and facilitate the free flow of information between the public and the government.

But after an initial online fever, many government websites were found lying idle, full of overlapping or outdated information. A lack of planning and management was also a common problem.

Obviously, such clumsy government websites do little to either inform the public or raise the efficiency of government work.

But the new central government website represents a welcome response to growing complaints about and criticism of governmental websites not being user-friendly and lacking essential information.

For instance, the website has carried live broadcasts of the State Council's teleconferences between the cabinet and provinces to netizens for three times since its trial launch three months ago something unheard of in the past.

Such real-time government information disclosure has not only impressed domestic netizens but also helped bring the public and the government closer together.

It is of particular importance at a time when the central government is undergoing a critical change from being mainly a regulator to more of a service provider to the public.

Only when messages are promptly received and understood by the public can decisions made by the government be effectively implemented.

Another defining characteristic of e-governance is interactivity. Government websites can provide channels for citizens to voice their opinions and ideas through digital connections, such as email and online forums.

A responsive government cannot afford to ignore the advantages of e-governance in terms of collecting public opinion to improve services as well as policy-making.

The new central government website is informative and eye-catching. But its function as a channel for two-way communication remains untested.

It is hoped "www.gov.cn" will stand out as a tool that will help turn a new page in the development of the country's e-governance.