From 29 to 30 December 2025, the National Data Work Meeting was convened in Beijing. The meeting summarized data-related work in 2025 and deployed key work agenda for 2026. Mr. Zheng Shanjie, Chair of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), attended the meeting and delivered a speech. Mr. Liu Honglie, Administrator of the National Data Administration (NDA), presented the work report.
Review of 2025
The meeting noted that in 2025, national data work achieved significant breakthroughs by shifting focus from institutional design to market-oriented implementation.
The reform of data factor market allocation deepened substantially, with foundational systems and infrastructure stabilizing to enable initial success in data circulation and trading, thereby accelerating the valuation of data assets and strengthening industrial momentum.
Concurrently, the “Digital China” initiative matured into a primary engine for new quality productive forces, successfully fulfilling all “14th Five-Year Plan” digital economy targets while driving comprehensive urban digital transformation.
Global cooperation expanded notably through active participation in UN governance and the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Digital Economy International Cooperation Platform; alongside bilateral mechanisms like the China-Singapore policy dialogue, these efforts fostered innovative models for secure and compliant cross-border data flows.
These advancements were underpinned by a strengthened data workforce committed to political alignment and operational efficiency, laying a solid foundation for the upcoming phase of value release.
Key Tasks for 2026
The meeting designated 2026 as the “Year of Data Value Release.” It marks a strategic pivot from infrastructure construction to the full realization of data’s economic potential. The overarching goal is to unblock data circulation channels and stimulate market supply and demand. This ensures data factors are deeply integrated into value creation processes. Implementation must ensure to balance market liberalization with security governance while combining investment in infrastructure with talent development. These efforts aim to cultivate a favorable external environment and unlock digital economy potential.
The execution strategy focuses on eight key priorities:
- Finalize the high-quality Digital China construction plan with localized implementation strategies.
- Accelerate the unified national data market based on the “Five Unifications and One Opening” framework (from the Unified National Market policy) to eliminate local silos.
- Foster tiered digital industry clusters by merging data technology with industrial innovation.
- Deepen application scenarios through the “Data Element ×” initiative with public data and state-owned enterprises leading the way.
- Deploy integrated data infrastructure systematically across the nation.
- Continue to improve the foundational data system. Solidify data property rights and its ailgnment with current legal frameworks while enhancing standards implementation.
- Execute six specialized actions to empower AI development through high-quality datasets. These six specialized actions are:
- Foundation strengthening and capacity expansion
- Application empowerment
- Quality improvement and efficiency enhancement
- Management and service optimization
- Value release action
- Data labeling breakthrough action
- Deepen international cooperation in the data sector to shape global rules and explore new cross-border flow models.
China will actively participate in global rule-making through these measures. The ultimate aim is to serve broader diplomatic objectives while driving domestic economic growth.
Soon after the National Data Work Meeting, the National Technical Committee of Data Standardization (SAC/TC609) convened its plenary meeting for committee members which also summarized TC609’s 2025 achievements and laid out 2026 key work plans. Click here to read the news article on TC609’s Plenary Meeting for 2026 key work plans.
Source: https://www.tc609.org.cn/tc609/sjxw/202601/55a64280d04b4dbeb939042c51c0c56a.shtml
