In a significant move, Beijing will establish a national bureau to police and protect data resources, according to a State Council reform plan submitted to the National People’s Congress. It also plans to expand the Ministry of Science and Technology’s role in orchestrating nationwide initiatives and formulating strategic policies, suggesting it can better direct critical efforts such as reducing a reliance on American technology.
China granted a key ministry new powers and created a bureau to oversee increasingly valuable data, shaking up oversight of its vast technology arena as Xi Jinping’s administration battles the US in areas from AI to semiconductors.
The moves — part of a broader overhaul of official bodies to further consolidate Xi’s hold over the world’s second-largest economy — should help Beijing better coordinate efforts to catch up with its geopolitical rival in cutting-edge technology.
