China mulls security control on exporting key data

Chinese citizens’ personal information and the country’s important data collected by Internet service providers may need evaluation and permission before being shared with non-domestic entities.

Such information should stay within China and be subject to security assessment before being provided to anyone outside China, according to a draft guideline released Tuesday for public opinion by the Cyberspace Administration of China.

To export personal information the collector must get consent from the individual, the draft says.

For data related to national security, the economy or public interest, such as information on nuclear facilities, armed forces or public health, the collector should coordinate a security evaluation with the authorities.

The evaluation will ensure online data is managed legally, the guideline said.

To make suggestions on the draft, the public can email security@cac.gov.cn before May 11.