China set to establish 7 national digital economy pilot zones

China has unveiled plans to establish seven national pilot zones for digital economy innovation and development as part of its broader push to accelerate the development of the digital economy and foster competitive industrial clusters globally.

According to the National Data Administration, the pilot zones will be located in Tianjin, Xiong'an New Area in Hebei, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Sichuan provinces.

A total of 158 reform measures will be rolled out across seven key areas including the market-oriented allocation of data resources, infrastructure construction, productivity layout and regional cooperation, deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, expansion of application scenarios and international collaboration.

The administration will speed up the cultivation of innovative enterprises in the digital economy, advance the coordinated development of basic systems for data and digital infrastructure, and build digital industry clusters with global competitiveness. It also aims to create new drivers for regional industrial upgrading and economic growth, as well as international trade cooperation.

The plan focuses on addressing key bottleneck problems that hinder the high-quality development of China's digital economy. The NDA has pledged to strengthen systematic planning, encourage different regions to carry out tailored pilot projects based on its own strengths, and provide policy support in terms of data and funding.