China's newly released National Data Infrastructure Construction Guidelines put blockchain at the center of the country's strategy to strengthen data security, transparency, and scalability as part of a broader digital transformation drive.
The guidelines, released by the National Development and Reform Commission and other agencies, highlight blockchain technology as a foundation for facilitating reliable data exchange across industries and regions.
The document envisions that blockchain networks will support secure data circulation, ensure traceability, and prevent tampering as China builds a national integrated data market.
According to the proposed timeline, China expects to have blockchain-powered data infrastructure fully operational across the country by 2029. The entire plan will be implemented in a phased approach.
From 2024 to 2026, the government plans to launch pilot projects in key regions to refine the blockchain framework and test real-world applications. By 2028, these pilot programs will evolve into a fully integrated national blockchain network that will support large-scale data flows between states, departments, and public-private partnerships.
Infrastructure powered by blockchain
A central feature of the plan is the development of a “trusted data space” that leverages blockchain to enable seamless multiparty data sharing while ensuring privacy, integrity, and ownership.
Powered by distributed ledger technology (DLT), these spaces serve as decentralized environments where businesses, governments, and individuals can exchange data securely and transparently.
Trusted Spaces aims to address common data governance challenges by creating an immutable record of data transactions. This allows stakeholders to verify the origin of data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. These ecosystems will be critical in industries such as cross-border logistics, supply chain management, e-commerce, and financial services.
Furthermore, the guidelines also propose the construction of a “data market” built on a blockchain network. These markets enable the tokenization of data assets, allowing for fractional ownership, monetization, and secure trading across platforms. This innovation is expected to create new revenue streams and facilitate large-scale data sharing.
The plan also calls for the establishment of blockchain-powered platforms tailored to specific industries. By 2026, pilot projects will test decentralized applications (dApps) in key areas such as digital finance, green energy, and smart manufacturing. These platforms will facilitate data interoperability between companies and accelerate the adoption of blockchain technology across the sector.
For example, the guidelines encourage the development of blockchain-driven supply chain networks for agricultural and industrial manufacturing to ensure product traceability and reduce fraud. In the financial sector, DeFi solutions powered by state-approved blockchains are being explored to provide a secure and low-cost alternative to traditional systems.
Security and privacy
China's emphasis on blockchain extends beyond data sharing to ensuring the security of the infrastructure itself. The guidelines detail plans to integrate blockchain with advanced privacy-enhancing technologies such as secure multiparty computation, homomorphic encryption, and zero-knowledge proofs.
This combination allows sensitive data to be processed and analyzed without exposing it to external parties, addressing important privacy issues in sensitive areas such as healthcare and finance.
This paper also outlines the creation of a blockchain-based monitoring system for real-time data integrity checks to protect against unauthorized access, leaks, and cyber threats. This effort aims to reduce single points of failure and strengthen national data resiliency by decentralizing control of critical data flows.
