(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-03-05 07:32

The fact that a rumor about a hike in the price of gasoline spread quickly throughout Beijing provides much food for thought, says an article in Qilu Evening Post. The following is an excerpt:

According to Beijing media reports, the rumor spread through mobile phones on February 29, and this led to long queues at gas stations and extra police manpower to direct traffic.

Although the government bodies concerned in Beijing tried to refute the rumor through broadcasts over radio, we need to reflect on the problems revealed in this event.

The rumor came on the heels of the international oil price exceeding $100 a barrel, and fears triggered by the rise in the CPI.

According to statistics, at the end of last year, China had 15.22 million private cars, a 32.5 percent rise from the previous year.

To adjust to this situation, government bodies concerned with transportation should adopt better means to communicate with the public.

It should use more technology, such as text messaging, the same way the rumor spread.

At present, reform of the gasoline pricing mechanism has still to be completed, and the soaring international oil price adds more pressure to domestic gas producers. But in these tough times producers must ensure an adequate supply of gasoline on which millions of drivers depend.

Moreover, a hike in the price of gasoline could trigger hikes in other areas and affect the stability of the society. So at this moment the government should try its best to stabilize the price of gasoline.

(China Daily 03/05/2008 page9)