How Digital Government Empowers Public Service Delivery in China: Mechanisms from Public Value and Technological Empowerment Perspectives

The construction of a digital government is a significant initiative to modernize the national governance system and enhance governance capabilities, with the creation of public value focused on optimizing the supply level of basic public services within improved governance efficiency. This research begins with public value theory and technology empowerment theory to explain the theoretical mechanisms by which digital government can promote the supply level of basic public services. Utilizing panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2017 to 2021, this study investigates the impact of digital government construction on the supply level of basic public services and further examines the moderating effects of government support, the level of digital technology development, and regional heterogeneity. The research findings indicate that digital government construction can significantly enhance the supply level of basic public services, with more pronounced effects in regions where government support is strong or the level of digital technology development is high. Analysis of regional heterogeneity shows that the improvement in the supply level of basic public services due to digital government construction is more significant in the eastern region compared to the central and western regions. This study, based on the practice of digital government construction, provides a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for optimizing the top-level design of digital government, improving the supply level of public services, and achieving the integration of “digital + public services.”