Internet reshapes government-public dialogue, experts urge balanced approach to responsiveness

Following several recent incidents involving food security, labor rights, and law enforcement, some experts have acknowledged that while China attaches great importance to public opinions in hot spots of society and takes measures to address people's concerns, there is still room for improvement.

Each of the recent incidents triggered heated discussion among netizens.

In response, the local governments involved gave interviews, released notices, changed decisions, or promised further investigations to clarify misconceptions and rebuild government credibility.

"In the internet era, local governments have adopted a more open approach to public opinion, actively incorporating feedback from the public into governance," said Guo Xiaoping, vice-president of the School of Journalism and Information Communication at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei province. "It reflects the development of a modern governance that places higher demands on the ability to handle emergencies."

Recently, an incident in Datong, Shanxi province, wherein two sanitation workers spent four hours sorting through eight metric tons of garbage to retrieve a child's smartwatch for a tourist drew widespread skepticism from netizens. Many questioned whether such an effort was necessary and worthwhile.

The local authorities responded through an interview with People's Daily on Monday, before the negative public opinion intensified, explaining that the tourist had no special status, and that such assistance would be provided to locals and tourists alike.

They said the government would take criticism from netizens, give rewards to the workers, and create a fund to award sanitation workers who go out of their way to help others.

Elsewhere, in Linyi, Shandong province, a restaurant owner was about to be fined 450,000 yuan ($62,600) for violating advertising laws by posting a video about toad soup. The incident evoked widespread doubts about whether such a punishment was appropriate, followed by a public outcry.

On Tuesday, local authorities released a notice saying that they had revoked the penalty and suspended five officials for misconduct in law enforcement.

When doubts about information authenticity and conspiracy theories ran rampant on social media after more than 200 children from a kindergarten in Tianshui, Gansu province, were found to have abnormally high levels of lead in their blood, the province announced on July 12 that it would put together a team to carry out an elevated investigation and make the results of the probe available to the public.

"Social media provides a platform for public participation in discussions on trending social issues, strengthening interactions between citizens and the government," said Ran Aobo, a researcher at Tsinghua University's Institute for Urban Governance and Sustainable Development. "Public opinion emerges when existing information fails to meet the public's demand for truth."

According to Ran, public governance in cyberspace operates on a flat structure, where all parties interact with the same interface. However, authorities' decisions are usually transmitted top-down, resulting sometimes in lengthy procedures, delayed information releases, and fragmented communication — traits that struggle to meet the public's need for timely feedback.

Local governments are now undergoing self-reform to adapt to the new media landscape shaped by informatization and digitalization and improve their crisis management capabilities.

"However, policy-making must not follow public opinion blindly," Ran added. "Authorities must sift through vast amounts of noise and disinformation to identify the genuine concerns of the people."

Geng Yun, associate professor from the School of Government at the Central University of Finance and Economics, pointed to China's commitment to building consultative democracy. Extra channels have been introduced, such as the 12345 hotline, which provides the public with an immediate response to complaints.

"The government's increased attentiveness to public opinion reflects its emphasis on people's welfare and livelihoods, as well as an improvement in governance capabilities," Geng said. "It demonstrates the government's dedication to addressing citizens' needs and embodies its value orientation of serving the people."

The timely response to public concerns also highlights the government's efforts to enhance interdepartmental communication and cooperation, refine institutional mechanisms, and boost problem-solving capabilities to optimize efficiency, all aimed at increasing resident satisfaction. These efforts reflect the strong self-driven momentum of public services to upgrade and iterate, according to Geng.

As issues continue to arise and demands grow, the public has higher expectations for the government. Through the handling of these critical incidents, long-term institutional dividends are being formed, she added.

Guo from HUST said that the government now places great emphasis on — and has become adept at — gathering public sentiment through the internet.

However, public opinion comprises irrational elements as much as rational ones. When addressing public concerns, relevant government departments should thoroughly understand what worries and troubles the people most. Responses must be context-sensitive, focusing on policy interpretation, explaining whether relevant measures are evidence-based, presenting a complete factual chain, and assessing whether the incident's cause-and-effect logic holds, according to Guo.

During crises, the priority is to promptly release basic facts to prevent misleading, fragmented information from spreading. Then, authorities should carefully address the causes. A simple investigation announcement constitutes an official response to citizens. Finally, follow-up updates are essential. Even a one-line statement three days after the fact reflects the government's accountable stance, reinforcing public trust through demonstrated reliability, he added.

He Yanling, professor at the School of Public Administration and Policy at the Renmin University of China, said that currently, the Party's disciplinary and integrity requirements have set high standards for officials. China has made achievements in building a law-based government, while the openness and transparency of the internet have created public opinion pressure on the government.

"It is hoped that the government will not just exhaust itself in responding to public sentiment, but instead establish a normalized mechanism for handling incidents that is lawful, reasonable, and empathetic," she said.