The Wasaitahan Investment Corporation, based in Beijing, assessed the websites of 336 city governments and found most were simply used for announcements rather than service platforms. The corporation examined the websites for flexibility, transparency, openness, security and inter-activity.
Think-tank chief executive Feng Xiaozhe said that in some areas, e-government amounted to window-dressing and the main function was not to deliver services online.
The central government has set aside 800 billion to 1 trillion yuan in the 10th five-year plan to realise its internet project strategy.
"The e-government problems reflect traditional government problems," Mr Feng said. "The survey also reflected the problems of traditional governments in dealing with administrative affairs."
The report said most government websites were not transparent, open, safe or publicised. But large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Dalian and Guangzhou received pass marks in the survey, all with more than 60 per cent.
Mr Feng said the results exposed a core problem in the development of e-government. Local governments were operating under multiple layers, having to carry out surveillance, administer to the community and provide services.
The survey also found that 90 per cent of municipal governments had set up websites and 33 of the 336 had not.
None of the cities in Tibet and half of those in Qinghai province had an e-government function.
Mr Feng said: "Government portal websites are developing rapidly and there is an imbalance between them. Overall development is at the very beginning."
Peking University professor Yang Fengchun said the results might reflect the two extreme attitudes of governments towards technology.
"Some governments think a hi-tech approach can solve any administrative problem while others pour scorn on the idea," Professor Yang said.
Autor: Wendy Li
Quelle: Asia Pacific Media Network, 11.08.2004
