The International Conference on Chinese Rule of Law with the theme of “E-Government and the Rule of Law”, jointly held by ZhejiangUniversity and Hangzhou Municipal Government was held in Zhejiang Hotel on 15^th December, 2012. The first E-government development index, or the first government transparency index—Hangzhou E-government development index was released in the Conference.

The experts and officials from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing University, Tsinghua University, Beijing Law Society, Shandong University, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou Municipal People’s Government, Research Institute of Chinese Rule of Law (Hong Kong), Good Government International, Stanford University and the UN E-Government Development Index Expert Team discussed in depth the following topics: E-Government development index and the rule of law, intelligent urban construction, democracy and people’s livelihood strategy, management innovation, the significance, index design and appraisal of E-Government development index and the model and promotion of Hangzhou municipal E-government development index.

Those present at the Conference included the officials from Zhejiang Provincial Government, Hangzhou Municipal Government, the professors and experts from famous universities and organizations.

The Conference was chaired by Qian Hongdao, Professor of Zhejiang University and President of Research Institute of Chinese Rule of Law (Hong Kong) and Mei Gechlik, Director of Stanford University Chinese Guided Case Project, Chairman and CEO of Good Government International. Professor Qian said that a new school of law studies: Chinese school of practicing the rule of law gradually came into being.

Professor Zou Xiaodong, Executive Vice Secretary of the Party Committee, Zhejiang University said in the opening remarks that “E-governance, as a key carrier of social management innovation, is an inevitable requirement in the society ruled by the law in the information age, and is a frontier project faced by the government, university and the society. ZhejiangUniversity has made great achievements in the rule of law index, judicial transparency index and E-government development index by giving full play to the disciplinary advantages and integrating the law, technology and management”.

Tong Guili, Deputy Mayor of Hangzhou Municipal Government said in the speech that “E-government, as an easier public service delivery means, reduces the public cost in participating in the government affairs, increases the public involvement in the government affairs and ignites the public enthusiasm. The combination of E-government and the rule of law coincides with the ideal governance goals.”

Chen Guangsheng, Vice Secretary General of Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government thought that the E-government made the modern government more efficient, more economical and more transparent, so the E-government realized the combination of service-orientated government and the government ruled by law. I am delighted to know the release of E-government development index.”

The Conference also released the E-government development indexes of ZhejiangProvince, Hangzhou, and 13 counties under the jurisdiction of Hangzhou and it was appraised that the Gongshu District had the highest index in 2012, i.e. 0.8709.

This research filled the gap in the researches on the domestic E-government development index, which would play an exemplary role in promoting the E-government in China.

Professor Zhu Xinli, Executive Vice President of the Guanghua Law School, Zhejiang University expressed his appreciation for the researches conducted in Hangzhou as well as in China and for the support from the research teams and partner organizations in the closing remarks.