Data sector to see leapfrog development

More efforts will be made to accelerate the technological innovation of data, improve the development and utilization level of data resources, promote the circulation and trading of data, and strengthen the construction of data infrastructure, it said.

"Data have been rapidly integrated into various areas like production, circulation and consumption, and are playing an increasingly pivotal role in bolstering industrial upgrades," said Ouyang Rihui, assistant dean of the China Center for Internet Economy Research at Central University of Finance and Economics.

Data have the attributes of commodities, which could be effectively allocated through market evaluation and trading, so as to create huge economic and social value, Ouyang noted.

He said the country's accelerated efforts to develop the data industry and build digital infrastructure will propel the deeper integration of data elements with the real economy, boost the efficient development and application of data resources and promote the high-quality development of the digital economy.

Yang Jie, chairman of China Mobile, the world's largest telecom carrier in terms of mobile subscribers, said the scale and quality of data have become the driving force for accelerating AI innovation and breakthroughs.

China Mobile is strengthening efforts to increase the supply of high-quality data, boost the efficient circulation of data and speed up the high-level utilization of data, in order to push forward the deeper integration of data with various areas of the economy and society, Yang added.

China's digital transformation has made great achievements, with the Digital China Development Index climbing to 150.51 in 2024, up 10.65 percent from the previous year, according to the National Data Development Research Institute. The index is a benchmark for the assessment of China's digital progress.

Digital transformation in traditional industries, such as manufacturing, transportation and energy, has become the main battlefield in the development of the digital economy, said Mei Hong, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Mei underscored the importance of establishing a data elements market, promoting the confirmation of data-related rights, and exploring a data pricing mechanism and value assessment system to give full play to the massive value of data.

Pan Helin, a member of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Expert Committee for Information and Communication Economy, said: "As a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is evolving, promoting the in-depth integration of the digital economy with the real economy is a necessary requirement for establishing a modern industrial system and a strategic choice of forging new competitive advantages globally."

The move to develop the digital economy and data industry will enhance the resilience of industrial and supply chains, advancing new industrialization and realizing Chinese modernization, Pan said.

He added that a bigger push is needed to reinforce the dominant position of enterprises in boosting sci-tech advancements, increase financial support for innovation-oriented tech companies, and strengthen the training of high-caliber talent.

Qi Xiangdong, chairman of Chinese cybersecurity company QAX, said new cybersecurity-related challenges, such as privacy and data leakage, have appeared along with the development of AI and data sharing, emphasizing that safeguarding data security is vital for bolstering data transactions and developing the digital economy.

Qi said the production, application and circulation of data are now facing security issues, while calling for establishing a unified and systematic network security system to fend off potential cyberattacks.

fanfeifei@chinadaily.com.cn