E-Government in China YU PEIPEI( 여패패 ) HE YU( 하육 )

Contents  Internet Today in China  Practicing the E-Government 1)The Internet Legislation in China 2)Further Legislation Consideration  The E-Government Tomorrow

Internet Today in China An e-government project called “ government online project ” had begun in China four years ago, and now we have all the provinces and all the state bureaus online.

According to the CNNIC-- China Internet Network Information Center ’ s report in January 15th, 2002, there are 12,540,000 computers connect to the internet, the number of people to the net is 33,700,000, which count 2.6% of the population. The international bandwidth is M. The number of registered domain names under CN is , govs takes 4.6% of them, 5,864. The chart below shows the rapid growth of internet connected computers number and people surfing on the net.

Practicing the E-Government In May 18th, 1998, the world Telecom Day, only 145 gov.cn domain names in China. At that time, the government realized that she must utilize the network resource to build a efficient workflow over the net. 2 month later, China Telecom brings forward a proposal of constructing a e-government. January 1999, “ government online project ” has officially started. Several month after then, in the 31st world Telecom Day, that is to say, only 1 year after, the gov.cn domain names has increased to 1470 sites; 720 governmental department has their own www websites. Today, according to the CNNIC annual report, the number of gov.cn domain names has grown up to 5864.

The “ government online project ” includes 8 topics as below: 1. online electronic information exchange 2. online government procurement bidding 3. online welfare payment 4. electronic delivery 5. information centre 6. electronic document manage and publish 7. electronic tax 8. digital ID

The Internet Legislation in China The first internet ordinance China have carried on is

1. In the CONTRACT LAW OF China which has been adopted and promulgated by the Second Session of the Ninth National People's Congress March 15, 1999, several clauses are related to the e-commerce; such like: 1) Chapter Two Formation of Contracts Article 11 Definition of Writing A writing means a memorandum of contract, letter or electronic message (including telegram, telex, facsimile, electronic data exchange and electronic mail), etc. which is capable of expressing its contents in a tangible form. 2) Article 16 Effectiveness of Offer, Offer through Electronic Message An offer becomes effective when it reaches the offeree when a contract is concluded by the exchange of electronic messages, if the recipient of an electronic message has designated a specific system to receive it, the time when the electronic message enters into such specific system is deemed its time of arrival; if no specific system has been designated, the time when the electronic message first enters into any of the recipient's systems is deemed its time of arrival.

2.Resolution on Maintaining Security of Computer Networks, this regulation makes it a criminal offence to enter networks concerned with national affairs, defense and advanced technology, to create and spread computer viruses and to interrupt computer networks or communication services. 3. The Telecom Regulation, totaling seven chapters and 81 items, allows both foreign and non-government investors to invest in Internet and telecom businesses. But only telecom-oriented investors can participate in basic telecom service under the condition of at least a 51 per cent share control by the government. Although the regulations of telecom and Internet content management still need to be modified, industry experts hail the publishing as a milestone in the IT industry which had never embraced a national law or law-effective regulation in the past half century.

4. The law that preventing juvenile committing crimes passed at the final meeting of the 10th session of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, June, In article 53, it adds the “ by means of telecommunication and internet ” to deliver unsuitable material to juvenile. 5. Resolution on Internet Information Service September 20th, Resolution on the management of BBS, passed by the Ministry of Information Industry, October, 8th, The Temporal Regulation on Website Publishing the News, passed by the Ministry of Information Industry, October, 8th, 2000.

Further Legislation Consideration 1. The development of e-government has a firm relationship with the internet and information technology. A law is necessary to regulate the internet principle; and such a law will significantly reduce the confliction between departments of government. 2. In the legislation progress, we should give enough consideration on the information and network security. 3. We must clearly identify the right and obligation. There is no law or regulation that focuses on the ICP and ISP in China today. 4. Make a law for the e-commerce. The e-commerce is struggling in China these days. One reason is that the regulation on e-commerce is not complete. We will fulfill the laws to make the internet commerce secure.

The E-Government Tomorrow As the “ government online project ” going on, we must take some important point into consideration: First of all, not like constructing an e-commerce project, the e- government must have a special organization to manage the progress. Second, we must break the information monopoly and consummate the regulations and laws on internet information. Third, establish a security identify centre, assure the information to deliver safely and correctly. Fourth, the real government must change its workflow to fit the e- government ’ s requirement. Fifth, make clear objects that why we should construct the e- government. Sixth, the government should popularize the computer and internet technology.

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