At the end of last month the Fujian provincial government held a video conference for all officials in charge of e-government initiatives in the province. The conference focused on sharing the experience of implementing e-government, as well as identifying the model e-government project for other cities and planning out e-government initiatives for 2005. It is estimated that e-government projects in the province will reach US$1.4 billion. Wang Qingfen, the Vice Mayor and official in charge of the e-government project in the Jinjiang city government, said that upon the completion of the first phase of e-government construction, several main software systems such as the administration approval system, cooperative office automation and an e-government website etc. could be operateeeed.
Wang stated that these systems enhanced the efficiency and quality of service of the city government in areas such as the preparation of documents, approval process, supervision, handling inquiries and press releases, and prevention of bribery.
The e-government project in Jinjiang city has been selected by the Fujian provincial government as a model project in the province based upon its costs saving and significant efficiency brought to the city government.
Amongst 82 counties and cities in the Fujian province, only 4 cities have started its e-government construction. Assuming that each city will invest US$18 million (RMB$150 million) for its e-government construction, the e-government market in the Fujian province will reach US$1.4 billion (RMB$12.3 billion). China has a very large and growing market for e-government.
The Jinjiang e-government project is aimed to establish a national electronic government system, in which the existing and expecting government networks and applied systems can be combined to form united technology standard and regulation and consequently a united national government service platform.
Quelle: Public Sector Technology & Management, 11.01.2005
