China issues first batch of data property rights certificates to 56 firms

By Wu Ruidong

Data property rights registration serves as an "identity certificate" for intangible data assets. The 15th Five-Year Plan outlines the goal of establishing a unified national data property rights registration system. On September 21, China Central Television (CCTV) reported from the National Data Administration that the first batch of data property rights registration certificates has been issued, with 56 enterprises and institutions receiving valid proof of data holding rights, usage rights, and operation rights. (Source: CCTV News Client, September 21)

The Challenge of Data Ownership

For a long time, data has been regarded as a new production factor in the digital economy era, yet the ambiguity of property rights boundaries has remained a key obstacle to data circulation. Data's replicable, shareable, and non-exclusive nature distinguishes it from traditional production factors such as land and capital. Enterprises that invest heavily in collecting, cleaning, and labeling data often face risks of ownership disputes and infringement when engaging in external cooperation. As a result, many entities with high-quality data are reluctant to circulate or share it, leaving vast amounts of data resources "dormant" in systems and failing to translate into industrial value.

The Core Value of Registration

The implementation of a data property rights registration system aims to clarify ownership by institutionalizing data holding, usage, and operation rights, providing a credible legal reference for data transfer, trading, and collaboration. The first batch of registrations covers three types of entities—state-owned enterprises, public institutions, and private enterprises—spanning more than ten sectors, including healthcare, transportation, and scientific research. Notably, over 15 registrations are related to artificial intelligence scenarios, reflecting the system's inclusive design by accommodating both public-sector data and industrial innovation data.

Practical Cases

• Shenzhen Airlines has secured property rights for its aircraft maintenance data, enabling the company to provide fault prediction solutions to the industry and transition from asset-heavy operations to data-driven services.
• JD.com has completed registration for embodied intelligence datasets and plans to collaborate with research institutions and industry enterprises under compliant conditions.

These cases demonstrate that when data ownership is protected, market entities are motivated to invest continuously in data governance and development, transforming data from static resources into reusable, value-added assets.

Balancing Rights and Security

Clarifying ownership is not the end goal but the starting point for data factor circulation. Data property rights registration must protect the investments and rights of data producers while upholding security boundaries and balancing the relationship between data development and utilization, personal information protection, and public interest. Data differs from ordinary commodities—especially in sectors like healthcare and transportation, where it often involves personal privacy and public safety. Empowerment through rights clarification does not mean unchecked liberalization. The registration system must be supported by robust mechanisms for data security review, circulation supervision, and risk accountability, preventing illegal data collection and misuse under the guise of property rights, avoiding data monopolies, and ensuring that data openness proceeds within a legal framework.

Toward a Unified National System

Building a unified national data property rights registration system is also a key measure to implement the 15th Five-Year Plan. High-quality development of the digital economy cannot rely solely on breakthroughs in computing power and algorithms; it requires a foundational institutional framework. Previously, local efforts in this area were largely fragmented pilot projects. The formation of a unified national registration platform will gradually establish consistent ownership rules and registration standards, reduce regional regulatory barriers, lower cross-industry and cross-entity data transaction costs, and lay a solid foundation for a broader data factor market.

A Milestone for the Future

The issuance of the first 56 data property rights "identity certificates" marks a significant institutional breakthrough. Looking ahead, it is expected that supporting systems for data property rights, circulation, and security will continue to improve, allowing data to fully unleash its potential as a production factor, better empowering industrial upgrading and technological innovation, and providing sustained momentum for the development of a digital China.