"Who on earth is the blogger? Is it a bodyguard of Xi, or

is it Xi himself?" asked Weibo user. The blog's owner has denied claims that he or she is close to Xi. "I am just an ordinary office worker, not a CPC member, nor an official," an entry on the blog said. The entry claimed the information and pictures featured on the blog were collected online or contributed by local residents. "I think I have the right to choose and follow my own idol. I like Xi and also look forward to the movements of the new CPC leadership," the post said. Some netizens have noticed that some of the photos posted on the blog were taken from posts written by other people. Under the current political system and news reporting practices in China, the existence of such a blog seems "unusual," said Zhang Zhi'an, an expert on new media analysis at Sun Yat-sen University. However, Zhang said the posts have helped to make Xi look more accessible. Venezuela's ailing President Hugo Chavez has nearly 4 million followers on his Twitter account while 26 million follow US President Barack Obama's account run by his staff.