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In a concerted effort to harness the burgeoning value of data resources and accelerate the development of its digital economy, China has recently announced a comprehensive nationwide survey of data resources. The collaborative effort involves multiple departments including the newly founded National Data Administration.

The survey aims to implement the plan for the overall layout of China's digital development, which was issued in February 2023 by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. It seeks to inventory data resources across the nation, enhance the development and utilization of the resources, and optimize the economic value of data as a key production factor.

Data resources have now become a crucial core resource and a significant driving force for China's economic development, Liu Dingding, a veteran internet industry observer, told the Global Times on Monday.

The digital economy has permeated every aspect of life in China, serving the development of the national economy and encompassing fields such as e-commerce and the gaming industry. The development of the digital economy can stimulate the growth of digital supporting industries, including computers and cloud computing, with data resources at the heart of this new momentum, Liu noted.

According to the layout plan, building a digital China will serve as a vital engine for modernizing the country in the digital era, as well as forming a new national competitive advantage.

The survey targets provincial data management institutions, departments of industry and information technology, public security bureaus, key data collection and storage device manufacturers, consumer internet platforms, industrial internet platforms, big data and AI technology firms, data exchanges, national laboratories, state-owned enterprises, industry associations and the State Information Center of China. It is expected to provide critical data support for policy-making and pilot demonstrations.

Data is regarded as a crucial element in the advancement of digital China, and the digital economy requires collected, organized, and processed information, data sets, and products tailored to specific production needs.

This move comes after the establishment of the National Data Administration on October 25, 2023, underlining China's increasing focus on data.

Data is a fundamental strategic resource in the digital economy era, with computing power emerging as a new form of productivity, according to Guo Mingjun, a senior official with the State Information Center of China.