How City Portals in China and Western Countries differ?

What is it about?

Municipal websites or city portals are often the first place people go when they need information or services from their local government—like registering a business, finding local events, reporting problems, or applying for permits. But these websites aren’t the same everywhere. In our study, we looked at 40 official city websites from China and Western countries to see what information and services they provide and how they communicate with residents. We examined over 100 types of content, including news, transportation, culture, government transparency, and online services for both people and businesses. We found that city websites in both China and the West aim to keep residents informed, provide online services, and promote transparency. But they focus on different topics. Chinese city websites often show more national news and leadership information and combine local services into bigger provincial platforms. Western city websites, on the other hand, highlight local culture, transportation, community events, and ways for citizens to take part in local decisions. These differences reflect how politics and administration influence what people see and can do on city websites. Understanding this can help cities design websites that are clearer, easier to use, and better suited to residents’ needs.

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Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This study is important because it gives new ways to understand and improve how city websites serve the public. First, we introduce a new “functional approach” to look at municipal websites. Instead of just listing what content is online, we examine what each type of information does—its purpose, topics, and goals. This helps policymakers, website designers, and government teams decide what content and services to provide and how to organize them. Second, we provide a detailed coding system that local governments can use to review the content on their city websites. It’s systematic and easy to adapt, so cities in different countries can use it to evaluate and improve their online communication. Third, we show that global rankings—like the UN E-Government Survey—don’t fully capture the real differences between municipal websites in different cultural and social contexts. Cities need assessments that reflect local priorities, not just one-size-fits-all international scores. Finally, we highlight how municipal websites create public value. A well-organized website does more than provide information—it builds trust, transparency, and citizens’ confidence in their local government. Overall, our study offers practical insights for anyone working to make city websites clearer, more useful, and more trustworthy.

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