From Response to Guidance: Decoding the Evolution of E-Government Interactions in Digital China via a BERT-BiLSTM Model

As an important component of digital government, online government interaction platforms have substantially enhanced the capacity of public authorities to respond dynamically to social demands and have improved governance performance. From the perspective of responsive governance, this study examines the evolution and transformation of government response mechanisms in the digital era. Drawing on more than 150,000 government replies posted on the Leaders’ Message Board and using a BERT-based deep learning model for content classification and topic mining, the study investigates the developmental logic and changing characteristics of government responses. The findings indicate a shift from passive reaction toward active shaping. This evolution proceeds from “instrumental responses,” which focus on resolving specific matters, to “value-oriented guidance,” which explains policy values, and ultimately to “normative co-construction,” which seeks to foster social consensus. The shift also displays a clear division of functions and coordination across administrative levels: higher-level authorities emphasize the transmission of political signals, whereas grassroots agencies serve as the principal vehicles of specialized implementation. Mechanism analysis shows that digital platforms streamline service processes and overcome spatial and temporal constraints, enabling public concerns to be handled more efficiently while reducing the institutional costs of public expression. Governments also use targeted policy communication to mitigate information asymmetry, reduce perceived policy uncertainty, promote social consensus, and strengthen social trust. This study contributes to the literature on digital government and government–public interaction and provides a theoretical and policy basis for advancing a governance system characterized by broad horizontal coverage, vertical penetration, and collaborative co-governance.