Liu Liehong, head of China's national data bureau. [Photo/VCG]
BEIJING: China’s appointment of Liu Liehong, former chairman of state-owned telecom operator China Unicom, as the head of its yet-to-be-officially-unveiled national data bureau is expected to lead to better integration, sharing, development and application of the country’s data resources and develop the digital economy, experts say.
They noted that Liu had more than three decades’ experience in the electronics and information technology industry, and his appointment was in accordance with China’s intensified efforts to promote digital development and accelerate the construction of basic systems for data.
Liu, 54, was appointed as chairman of China Unicom in August 2021.
He took over the role after serving as vice-minister of industry and information technology from June 2020 to August 2021.
Prior to that, Liu was the deputy head of the Cyberspace Administration of China from July 2018 to June 2020.
Liu’s experience in holding key positions in government departments and working in the information and communication sector will help improve the governance efficiency of data resources, facilitate the standardised circulation and trading of data, and better implement the nation’s big data strategy, said Pan Helin.
Pan is the co-director of the Digital Economy and Financial Innovation Research Centre at Zhejiang University’s International Business School.
Pan said that data, as a new type of production factor, has been rapidly integrated into production, circulation, consumption and social services. — China Daily/ANN
