A million secretaries of Communist Party of China (CPC) grassroots branches received a text message greeting from Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday, marking the launch of a new Party management system.

The messages were sent through a mobile phone service platform launched by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee and China Mobile.

The platform has a server that links the phones of 1 million grassroots Party officials with heads of the organization departments of the CPC provincial, city and county committees.

Grassroots officials can receive and send text messages from and to heads of the organization departments at higher Party organs, and those using 3G phones can communicate through video.

It was an effort to apply modern technologies in Party organization and management, said Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, at the launch ceremony.

Through the platform, the latest guidelines and policies would be sent to the lowest level promptly and local officials were encouraged to express opinions and raise proposals, Xi said.

The CPC expected the service to provide another communication channel between local officials and Party organization departments and a new tool for education and publicity, he said.

It would help smooth vertical communications in the Party framework, promote democracy inside the Party and extend the Party's influence, he said.