Chinese officials faced with public controversies in the era of social media have tended to choose one of two strategies: 1) say nothing; or 2) have the local government issue a comically murky statement on their behalf that essentially says nothing.

With the clock possibly ticking down on his career, one beleaguered bureaucrat in the northwestern province of Shaanxi -- Provincial Work Safety Administration head Yang Dacai – decided on Wednesday to break new ground.

Rather...