China has established a new centrally managed state-owned enterprise focused on developing and commercializing data resources, adding another major state player to Beijing’s push to monitor and turn data into a strategic economic asset.
China National Data Group Co., Ltd. was formally established on Oct. 20 in Xiongan New Area, Hebei Province. The company was approved by the State Council and placed under the supervision of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, or SASAC. It now ranks 28th on China’s official list of centrally administered state-owned enterprises.
According to state-run media Xinhua, the group will focus on developing and utilizing data resources, expanding the economic value of data, supporting AI, and building a broader data-industry ecosystem. The company describes itself as a national-level player in data infrastructure, data services and technology development, with plans to provide high-quality datasets and training material for AI systems.
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A new ‘national team’ for data
The group is wholly state-owned and was established with backing from the State Council, the Xiongan New Area administration and five major central enterprises: China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile, State Grid and China Southern Power Grid. Its chairman, Jian Qin, previously served as general manager of China Unicom, while general manager Chen Ronghui previously served as a deputy director of the National Data Administration.
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China has spent years building institutions around what officials call “data elements,” treating data as a factor of production alongside land, labor, capital and technology.
Provincial and municipal governments have already created data groups of their own. By October 2026, more than 20 provincial-level regions had established or begun operating such entities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Hubei, Henan and Fujian.
Analysts note that the creation of a national-level group appears designed to consolidate that process and coordinate data infrastructure, standards, and commercial use across regions and industries.
Online reaction turns skeptical
The announcement quickly drew criticism and sarcasm on Chinese-language social media, where some netizens questioned whether the new company would further centralize government access to personal and commercial data, especially as many workers continue struggling from stagnant wages.
One commenter wrote, “For more than ten years, phones have required real-name registration, internet access has required real-name registration, plane and train tickets have required real-name registration, and even buying a kitchen knife requires real-name registration. Now our real identities have become ‘data resources’ with ‘factor value.’”
Another joked, “Next they should establish a National Air Group and a National Freshwater Group.” Others questioned whether creating another large state enterprise would mean more bureaucracy and greater state control over an already heavily regulated digital economy.
Though the new group’s official mandate focuses on data infrastructure, industrial development, and AI rather than consumer surveillance, the reactions seen on Chinese social media reflect broader public anxiety over how personal information is collected and used in the country.
Why Xiongan matters
The decision to place the headquarters in Xiongan is also politically significant. Xiongan was created in 2017 as a flagship national development project intended to absorb functions and institutions relocated from Beijing and become a new center for technology, state enterprises and public services.
In recent years, Beijing has increasingly pushed centrally-owned enterprises to move headquarters and operations there. By September 2026, eight central SOE headquarters had established a presence in Xiongan, while more than 400 central-enterprise subsidiaries and branches had been set up in the area.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has repeatedly called for faster progress in the project. During a March 2026 visit, he urged officials to accelerate the relocation of institutions from Beijing and deepen integration between technology and industry. Reuters noted that despite nearly a decade of construction, central Xiongan remained relatively sparsely populated and that the city is not expected to reach basic completion until 2035.
The new data group therefore serves two strategic objectives at once: Bolstering Beijing’s control over a rapidly expanding data economy while also bringing another major national institution to Xiongan.
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