first national data work conference held

context: Annual work conferences are typically held at the end or beginning of a year to review accomplishments from the past year and establish goals for the upcoming year. The National Data Administration, which was only set up in late 2023, has held its first ever work conference somewhat later than other work conferences.

The first National Data Work Conference was held in Beijing on 2 April 2024, reports Xinhua. Zheng Shanjie 郑栅洁 NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) director and Liu Liehong 刘烈宏 NDA (National Data Administration) director presided over the meeting. 

The meeting readout states that data work in 2024 will be oriented towards

  • the ‘one main line’
    • market-oriented data allocation
  • the ‘three constructions’
    • digital China as a major strategic deployment
    • digital economy as an important part of digital China
    • digital society as a way to enhance people’s sense of gain, well-being and security

Eight major work tasks for 2024 include

  • improving basic data system, such as
    • data property rights
    • data transactions
    • profit distribution regulation
    • security governance
  • improving data utilisation through the ‘data factor x’ initiative
  • digitisation for high quality development, including in digital public services
  • promoting data-related technological innovation
  • optimising data infrastructure, especially the national integrated computing power network
  • strengthening data security 
  • improving international cooperation and optimising cross-border data transfers rules
  • setting up pilots

The establishment of the NDA and corresponding local reforms enable horizontal and vertical integration of data governance, the meeting stressed. 

The meeting readout used a novel phrase in the context of NPFs (new productive forces), notes Liu Dian 刘典 Fudan University China Institute researcher. Instead of the commonly used ‘accelerating the formation of NPFs’, the meeting readout calls for ‘vigorously developing NPFs’. This, Liu contents, suggests the need for more proactive development of NPFs, especially in the field of data.