Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Liu Liehong, administrator of the National Data Administration (NDA)

Ms. Luan Jie, deputy director general of the Department of Policy and Planning of the NDA

Mr. Zhang Wang, director general of the Department of Data Resources of the NDA

Mr. Du Wei, director general of the Department of Digital Technology and Infrastructure Construction of the NDA

Chairperson:

Ms. Xing Huina, deputy director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

July 22, 2024

Xing Huina: 

Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO), as part of the series "Promoting High-Quality Development." Today, we have invited Mr. Liu Liehong, administrator of the National Data Administration (NDA), to brief you on relevant developments and to take your questions. Also present today are Ms. Luan Jie, deputy director general of the Department of Policy and Planning of the NDA; Mr. Zhang Wang, director general of the Department of Data Resources of the NDA; and Mr. Du Wei, director general of the Department of Digital Technology and Infrastructure Construction of the NDA.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Liu for his introduction.

Liu Liehong:

I would like to express my gratitude to you all for your interest in and care for the data-related work. The 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its third plenary session last week. Since then, the NDA has been actively studying, publicizing and implementing the guiding principles from the session. At this juncture, we are holding this press conference to brief you on the specific measures the NDA will take to implement the resolutions of the plenary session and to promote high-quality development of the national data sector. Since its establishment last October, the NDA has followed the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and deeply grasped its functions. We have focused on advancing reforms to ensure data as a factor of production is allocated by the market, coordinated the development of a Digital China, digital economy and a digital society, aimed to better serve high-quality development through data, and opened new prospects for data-related work.

In terms of reforms to promote market-based allocation of data as a factor of production, we have accelerated the improvement of the foundational institutional system for data. To ensure that data can be produced, flow smoothly, be effectively utilized and remain secure, we have emphasized systematic planning and enhanced policy support. We have studied and drafted multiple institutional and regulatory documents guiding fields including data ownership, circulation and transaction, revenue distribution, security governance, development and utilization of public and corporate data, high-quality development of the digital economy, and data infrastructure construction. Through these efforts, we aim to transform China's vast data resources into new national competitive advantages. During this process, some localities have explored the structural separation of data ownership at a faster pace, advanced the improvement of mechanisms for data authorization, and sped up the improvement of the market system for data as a factor of production, providing strong support for local economic and social high-quality development.

We have accelerated the deployment of data infrastructure, thoroughly implemented the "East Data, West Computing" project, and promoted the development of a nationally unified computing network. Significant progress has been made in areas such as computing power layout, network transmission, monitoring and dispatch, computing-electricity coordination, and security protection. We have studied, developed and expanded policies and measures to foster the growth of the data annotation industry, publishing a list of cities tasked with building data annotation bases. Additionally, we have studied and formulated guidelines for data infrastructure construction, and initiated pilot projects for data circulation and utilization infrastructure, so as to create a secure and trustworthy environment for data flow and use.

We have strived to enhance the development and utilization of data resources. The NDA has, along with other related departments, issued a three-year action plan to promote the use of data as a factor of production (2024-2026), releasing the first batch of 20 exemplary data use cases, as well as identifying and promoting a number of typical application scenarios. At the same time, we are actively promoting reforms of public data resources management and operation mechanisms. By leveraging the development and utilization of public data, we aim to drive the integration and application of various data sources, and vigorously promote the development and utilization of enterprise data resources. Local data management authorities are also actively exploring ways to facilitate compliant and efficient flow and use of data, and establishing diverse application scenarios and models to better unleash the value of data as a factor of production.

In coordinating the construction of a Digital China, the digital economy and a digital society, we have sped up the building of a Digital China, issued the list of key points for the work on building a Digital China in 2024, and made plans for this year's key tasks. We have successfully held the 7th Digital China Summit, during which 470 high-level activities of all kinds were organized with 1.15 million people participating in the offline events in various forms. The full text of the Digital China Development Report (2023) has been released, systematically summarizing the important progress and achievements of the construction of a Digital China. At present, we are working with Guizhou province to prepare for the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2024. We hope all sectors of the society will pay more attention to the expo and actively participate in it.

We have deepened the role of digitalization in empowering high-quality economic development. We have issued key points of the work on the digital economy in 2024 this year, continued to promote the integrated development of the real economy and digital economy, kept focusing on high-quality development as the top priority, accelerated advancing the innovative development of the digital economy, and continued to foster and develop new quality productive forces. 

We have carried out overall planning for the development and construction of the digital society, unveiled a guideline on promoting the development of smart cities and the across-the-board urban digital transformation, and also formulated the list of key tasks for the implementation plan on facilitating common prosperity through a greater and better digital economy, promoting the sharing of digital dividends and effectively enhancing the sense of fulfilment from the digital society.

We have made greater efforts to advance international cooperation in the data field. In June, the inaugural meeting of the Singapore-China Digital Policy Dialogue mechanism was held in Beijing, which focused on strengthening exchanges and cooperation on the cross-border flow of data, artificial intelligence and other agendas China and Singapore are concerned about. We have carried out eight major measures for supporting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and advanced policy exchanges and program cooperation with 14 countries that have jointly signed the Beijing Initiative on Belt and Road International Digital Economy Cooperation.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is also a crucial year for achieving the objectives and tasks laid down in the 14th Five-Year Plan and an important year for making breakthroughs in laying the groundwork and accelerating the progress in the data work. Next, the NDA will thoroughly implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the second and third plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, study and issue the guidelines on studying, publicizing and implementing the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and review and apply the valuable experience we have gained from our efforts to deepen reform comprehensively since the launch of reform and opening up, especially in the new era. We will further promote reform related to the market-based allocation of data elements, coordinate the planning and construction of a Digital China, the digital economy and a digital society, accelerate the development of new quality productive forces, advance the in-depth integration of the real economy and digital economy at a faster pace, and speed up the cultivation of a national unified data market, so as to contribute the strengths of data to Chinese modernization. 

That is all for my introduction. My colleagues and I will take your questions. Thank you.

Xing Huina:

The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the media outlet you work for before raising questions.