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Chinese citizens’ digital engagement with local mobile government platforms
Brief about:
Journal Article (2024)
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Investigates how Chinese citizens engage with local mobile government (m-government) platforms, examining their motivations, usage patterns, and perceptions regarding their m-gov practices.
China has been a leader in the development and implementation of mobile government platforms, with its 31 provinces having developed such platforms by 2022. These m-gov platforms, managed by provincial and municipal governments, often in collaboration with private companies like Tencent and Alibaba, aim to provide accessible public services and enhance digital governance. The Chinese government’s ”Internet + government services” policy has driven substantial investment in these platforms, promising greater mobility and accessibility for citizens. Despite their advanced development, research on Chinese m-government platforms has been limited, with existing studies primarily focusing on the factors driving their adoption by using quantitative methods. This study expands the scholarship by exploring individual engagement with these platforms through a qualitative approach, thereby addressing the gap in understanding how citizens perceive and interact with m-government services.
Key findings
- Local m-government platforms in China are highly multifunctional and integrated, providing a wide range of services.Evidence
By 2021, 31 provinces had developed official m-government apps, such as Zhejiang's Zheliban app, which offers services like news updates, public services, and citizen-government communication. Local governments' WeChat accounts and City Service mini-programs on WeChat and Alipay also serve as popular m-government platforms, each with specific service emphases.
What it meansThese platforms cater to diverse user demands, enhancing accessibility to public services and facilitating citizen-government interaction.
- Chinese citizens' engagement with m-government platforms is driven by motivations such as convenience, benefits, and social image enhancement.Evidence
Interviewees cited convenience, benefits, and social image as key motivations. For instance, a male interviewee from Hangzhou noted using m-government platforms to avoid being ''despised by others'' for lacking digital skills.
What it meansThese motivations reflect the gratifications sought by users, aligning with the Uses and Gratifications Theory, and highlight the platforms' role in fulfilling diverse citizen needs.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption and regular use of m-government platforms in China.Evidence
The pandemic drove public services online, with local governments making m-government participation quasi-mandatory for accessing services like health codes. A Shanghai interviewee noted downloading the Suishenban app initially for health code purposes but continued using it for its utility.
What it meansThe pandemic served as a catalyst for technology adoption, normalizing m-government usage and integrating it into daily life.
- Interviewees expressed a preference for collaborative government-commercial platforms over government-managed ones, despite privacy concerns.Evidence
While interviewees expressed higher trust in government-managed platforms, they preferred the technical capabilities and benefits of commercial platforms like WeChat and Alipay. A Beijing interviewee expressed concerns about data commercialization by these platforms.
What it meansThis preference highlights a privacy paradox, where users favor platforms offering better service quality despite privacy apprehensions.
- M-government platforms provide users with diverse gratifications, including heightened efficiency, convenience, and a sense of belonging.Evidence
Interviewees reported using platforms for services without time or location restrictions, enhancing their sense of security. A Beijing interviewee appreciated the ability to access services anytime, fostering a sense of safety.
What it meansThese gratifications align with the gratifications highlighted in the Uses and Gratifications Theory, demonstrating the platforms' impact on users' daily lives.
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Chinese citizens’ digital engagement with local mobile government platforms
Cite this brief: Li, Haili. 'Chinese citizens’ digital engagement with local mobile government platforms'. Acume. https://www.acume.org/r/chinese-citizens-digital-engagement-with-local-mobile-government-platforms/
Brief created by: Dr Haili Li | Year brief made: 2025
Original research:
- Kostka, G., & Li, H., ‘Chinese citizens’ digital engagement with local mobile government platforms’ Global Media and China https://doi.org/10.1177/20594364241265977. – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20594364241265977
Research brief:
Investigates how Chinese citizens engage with local mobile government (m-government) platforms, examining their motivations, usage patterns, and perceptions regarding their m-gov practices.
China has been a leader in the development and implementation of mobile government platforms, with its 31 provinces having developed such platforms by 2022. These m-gov platforms, managed by provincial and municipal governments, often in collaboration with private companies like Tencent and Alibaba, aim to provide accessible public services and enhance digital governance. The Chinese government’s ”Internet + government services” policy has driven substantial investment in these platforms, promising greater mobility and accessibility for citizens. Despite their advanced development, research on Chinese m-government platforms has been limited, with existing studies primarily focusing on the factors driving their adoption by using quantitative methods. This study expands the scholarship by exploring individual engagement with these platforms through a qualitative approach, thereby addressing the gap in understanding how citizens perceive and interact with m-government services.
Findings:
Local m-government platforms in China are highly multifunctional and integrated, providing a wide range of services.
By 2021, 31 provinces had developed official m-government apps, such as Zhejiang’s Zheliban app, which offers services like news updates, public services, and citizen-government communication. Local governments’ WeChat accounts and City Service mini-programs on WeChat and Alipay also serve as popular m-government platforms, each with specific service emphases.
These platforms cater to diverse user demands, enhancing accessibility to public services and facilitating citizen-government interaction.
Chinese citizens’ engagement with m-government platforms is driven by motivations such as convenience, benefits, and social image enhancement.
Interviewees cited convenience, benefits, and social image as key motivations. For instance, a male interviewee from Hangzhou noted using m-government platforms to avoid being ”despised by others” for lacking digital skills.
These motivations reflect the gratifications sought by users, aligning with the Uses and Gratifications Theory, and highlight the platforms’ role in fulfilling diverse citizen needs.
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption and regular use of m-government platforms in China.
The pandemic drove public services online, with local governments making m-government participation quasi-mandatory for accessing services like health codes. A Shanghai interviewee noted downloading the Suishenban app initially for health code purposes but continued using it for its utility.
The pandemic served as a catalyst for technology adoption, normalizing m-government usage and integrating it into daily life.
Interviewees expressed a preference for collaborative government-commercial platforms over government-managed ones, despite privacy concerns.
While interviewees expressed higher trust in government-managed platforms, they preferred the technical capabilities and benefits of commercial platforms like WeChat and Alipay. A Beijing interviewee expressed concerns about data commercialization by these platforms.
This preference highlights a privacy paradox, where users favor platforms offering better service quality despite privacy apprehensions.
M-government platforms provide users with diverse gratifications, including heightened efficiency, convenience, and a sense of belonging.
Interviewees reported using platforms for services without time or location restrictions, enhancing their sense of security. A Beijing interviewee appreciated the ability to access services anytime, fostering a sense of safety.
These gratifications align with the gratifications highlighted in the Uses and Gratifications Theory, demonstrating the platforms’ impact on users’ daily lives.