How does e-government development affect public trust in the government in China?

Abstract

Information technology has altered the way governments have traditionally governed, and there are differing perspectives on the influence of this shift on government trust. Using 2016, 2018, and 2020 China Family Panel Studies and Statistical Yearbook data, this paper explores how e-government development affects public trust in the government. According to this study, e-government development increases public trust in the government by approximately 1.9%. This might be because the development of e-government facilitates better government performance and encourages public interest in politics, both of which increase public trust in the government. The research examines the heterogeneity of different demographic groups and reveals that the beneficial effects of e-government development on public trust in government exist among young people, men, and people with high levels of government trust. These findings help explain the link between digital governance and political trust and have important policy implications for enhancing urban governance in the digital era.