China set to further restrict cross-border data flow

data
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In a recently published five-year plan, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has called for improving the cross-border security management of big data till 2025, according to reports.

Reuters reports that strengthening the management of data flows across its borders, and more support for open source initiatives, are among the six key tasks outlined in the plan.

As part of the plan, MIIT reportedly estimates the scale of China's big data industry to exceed three trillion yuan (about $470.79 billion) by the end of 2025.

TechRadar needs you!

We're looking at how our readers use VPNs with streaming sites like Netflix so we can improve our content and offer better advice. This survey won't take more than 60 seconds of your time, and we'd hugely appreciate if you'd share your experiences with us.

>> Click here to start the survey in a new window <<

The plan also called for improving the "marketization" of data, improving computing power, and playing a leading role in developing global technology standards.

Exercising control

Reuters says the plan, which builds off of China's 14th five-year plan published earlier this year, doubles down on the country’s stance of strengthening its regulatory framework for ferrying and storage of data. 

The new plan helps confirm China’s view of data as a "factor of production," and a "national strategic resource.”

Notably, the new plan comes on the heels of two key data-centric legislations the country has brought into force this year, namely the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) and the Data Security Law, which, in essence, list a comprehensive set of rules that govern the collection, processing, storage, and protection of data. 

On the face of it, the laws help detail compliance requirements for companies operating outside the mainland to help ensure users’ data is protected when it’s ferried outside of China. However, they are generally seen as a bid by the country to exercise control over how companies and organizations store and move data across the mainland.

No matter what your need, these best bare metal hosting services will fit the bill

Mayank Sharma

With almost two decades of writing and reporting on Linux, Mayank Sharma would like everyone to think he’s TechRadar Pro’s expert on the topic. Of course, he’s just as interested in other computing topics, particularly cybersecurity, cloud, containers, and coding.

Read more
Microchip on a motherboard with Flag of China and USA. Concept for the battle of global microchips production.
Nvidia says latest US restrictions on China AI chips will ‘stifle competition’
IT
US government says companies are no longer allowed to send bulk data to these nations
Microsoft
Microsoft warns Trump against ‘strategic misstep’ in AI race
Racks of servers inside a data center.
Companies say data sovereignty is important, yet many businesses see it as a burden
Microsoft
Microsoft reveals surprise plan to spend $80bn on AI data centers
Cloud, networking and internet
Under the hood of data sovereignty
Latest in Security
Insecure network with several red platforms connected through glowing data lines and a black hat hacker symbol
Coinbase targeted after recent Github attacks
hacker.jpeg
Key trusted Microsoft platform exploited to enable malware, experts warn
IBM office logo
IBM to provide platform for flagship cyber skills programme for girls
Oracle
Oracle denies data breach after hacker claims to hold six million records
Hacker silhouette working on a laptop with North Korean flag on the background
North Korea unveils new military unit targeting AI attacks
An image of network security icons for a network encircling a digital blue earth.
US government warns agencies to make sure their backups are safe from NAKIVO security issue
Latest in News
A phone showing a ChatGPT app error message
ChatGPT was down for many – here's what's happened
AirPods Max with USB-C in every color
Apple's AirPods Max with USB-C will get lossless audio in April, but you'll need to go wired
A woman sitting in a chair looking at a Windows 11 laptop
It looks like Microsoft might have thought better about banishing Copilot AI shortcut from Windows 11
US flags
US government IT contracts set to be centralized in new Trump order
Tesla Roadster 2
Tesla is still taking deposits on its long overdue Roadster, despite promising it would arrive in 2020
Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar with Halloween theme over the top
Samsung promises to repair soundbars bricked by its disastrous software update for free – but it'll probably involve shipping