Chinese public opinion is undergoing rapid development. It is dynamic, but not completely unpredictable. Recent high-profile cases offer some signs.

Bogu Kailai was given a suspended death sentence yesterday. Zhang Xiaojun, her accomplice, was sentenced to nine years in prison. Four others received different prison terms for trying to cover up the crimes. The verdicts received massive attention on the Internet.

The suspended death penalty for Bogu Kailai for murder is within the normal range of sentencing. It is close to what the public anticipated. If Bogu were an ordinary member of the public, the sentence would have drawn much less attention, as the judicial system and the public are more cautious about the death sentence.

Given Bogu's special background as the wife of Bo Xilai, the former member of the Political Bureau, whatever the sentence was, it would not have escaped controversy. A death penalty may invite more debate.

At about the same time, the Chongqing police had to release a statement denying the speculation running wild on the Internet that Zhou Kehua, the serial killer, had not actually been killed, despite the police making a public announcement to this effect.

Official information has become increasingly questioned by the public, partly a result of incomplete freedom of speech. However, as long as questions can meet with serious and prompt responses, and authorities' service can withstand tests, public opinion will be won back.

Since this year, the country has experienced a slew of public incidents, causing waves of public doubt over government credibility. But in over six months, the authority of official information has been significantly restored. The public has acknowledged that governments will respond to public inquiries, including making adjustments when public opinion carries enough weight.

Most speculation, despite going viral on the Internet, eventually gives way to official information to convince the majority. For instance, the rumor that the man killed by Chongqing police was a plainclothes policeman, despite spreading widely, didn't overshadow the information later released by police. The case of Bogu Kailai has been shrouded in speculation and gossip from the beginning. Later, the official description of the case and the trial was gradually accepted by the public. China's legal system has grown fairer. Justice will be done no matter how privileged a suspect is. Trying to cover it up will be highly risky.

Rumors still emerge and spread easily in today's China, but the lifespan of these rumors is much shorter. Officials, as they are busy dealing with all kinds of crises, should be more confident that the public cannot easily be misled as long as the people can clearly see progress being made.

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