New Chinese Regulator To Focus On Streamlining Data Laws

China is reportedly planning to set up a new data regulation body that could provide the groundwork for multinational companies. This would bring more clarity and establish rules around data sovereignty.

In addition, it may help advance tech-driven initiatives such as public administration services built on anonymized citizen information.

The new government body will streamline data governance policies in the country, amid increasing confusion from businesses that deal with multiple bodies presiding over different aspects of data governance within the country’s borders, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar with the issues. 

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“The Chinese government is dedicated to helping organizations operating in the domestic market, both multinational corporations (MNCs) and local ones, to identify, consume, and protect data for security, privacy, and sovereignty throughout the lifecycle by a range of established regulations such as cybersecurity law (CSL), data security law (DSL), and personal information protection law (PIPL), which is similar to European Union’s GDPR,” said Charlie Dai, research director at analyst firm Forrester.“The big data bureaus on a provincial level have been established for years, and this national bureau will help in the coordination and governance from a central government perspective,” Dai added.