A worker assembles a booth in what will be the exhibition hall of the China International Big Data Industry Expo on Thursday. The exhibition will be held from Saturday to Tuesday in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou Province. About 400 companies will participate and display their latest achievements in sectors including blockchain, social media management, industrial innovation and smart cities, among many others. Photo: IC

Authorities in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, on Monday launched a blockchain-based electronic ID applciation which allows users to upload their electronic certificates and store them on a local government-backed blockchain platform.

Starting 2020, it is expected that Shenzhen residents will be able to authorize relevant government departments to obtain their information from the app, without the need to carry paper certificates when handling personal matters, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday. 

As data on the platform is encrypted, traceable and cannot be revised, the app will also better protect residents' privacy, the report said. 

The app now supports the uploading of 24 kinds of electronic information of residents, including personal ID cards and household registration documents.