The last two or three months have seen one landmark online event after another in China, heralding, perhaps, yet a further phase of change in the workings of Chinese politics. The internet has proved to be an extremely effective tool in China, with bloggers wielding extraordinary power over public opinion, perhaps even more so than their western counterparts do. And this, despite strict government controls, censorship - and over 30,000 “web police” constantly patrolling their web-beats.

First, there was the case of an ‘internet lynching’ of “Running Fan”, the teacher, ridiculed on the web for running out of his classroom ahead of his pupils during the Sichuan earthquake in May. The incident, and its subsequent coverage on the internet, inspired a public debate on social morals and caused the government to issue a new ethical code of conduct for teachers.

Then there was the surprising online chat with President Hu, in June, following shortly after the revelation that Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, apparently, has a very popular webpage on Facebook. And now, the rather spectacular sacking of four Communist Party, local police officials in Guizhou Province, for their part in the alleged mishandling, and possible cover up, in the terrible rape and murder of high school student, Li Shufen. There was even talk on the web that Shufen had been raped and drowned by relatives of local officials; riots ensued. Local citizens and online public were roused to protest by persistent bloggers who would not allow the case to be filed away. One blogger, reputedly the ‘ring leader’, Zhou Shuguang – aka, “blogger Zola”, posted emotive pictures and pleas from the murdered student’s family on the internet in a very western style media campaign.

Chinese bloggers are now claiming victory and the undeniable awareness that China’s leadership has displayed in recognizing the power of public opinion – and in responding to it, goes a long way to proving them right; only a short time ago, this would all have been unthinkable in the one-party state.