Digital News

　　On August 29, the 2025 China International Big Data Industry Expo (hereinafter referred to as the “Big Data Expo”) hosted an exchange event titled “Computing as the Foundation · Trusted Interconnection: Building a New Paradigm for the Synergy among Electricity, Carbon, and Computing and the Circulation of Energy Data Elements” in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province. The event was sponsored by China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. and organized by the Trusted Data Spaces Alliance, Guizhou Power Grid Co., Ltd., China Southern Power Grid Digital Power Grid Group, and China Southern Power Grid Digital Media Technology Co., Ltd.

　　As a key part of this year’s Big Data Expo, the event brought together stakeholders across the industry to explore the deep integration of electricity, carbon, and computing, as well as the innovative use of trusted data spaces in the energy sector. It further aimed to advance the collaborative development of a national integrated computing power network, unlock the value of energy data elements, and empower high-quality growth of the digital economy.

　　Academician Mei Hong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences attended the event and delivered a keynote titled Data Spaces from a Data Governance Perspective. The following are highlights from his speech —

　　Currently, digital transformation has brought a range of governance challenges. For example, how should Internet companies be regulated if they engage in monopolistic practices? Does the concept of monopoly defined in the industrial era still apply to today’s digital platforms? How can online public opinion be effectively managed? And how can data security and privacy protection be properly implemented? With the emergence of new technologies such as blockchain, how can they be effectively regulated? In addition, the application of technologies like big data and AI also raises significant social and ethical concerns.

　　In this context, traditional governance systems can no longer fully address today’s governance needs, making the development of global digital governance frameworks a pressing priority. In practice, organizations such as the G20, WTO, and the International Monetary Fund are actively exploring and strengthening initiatives related to digitalization. Meanwhile, bilateral and regional efforts are strengthening cooperation on digital governance, highlighting the importance of adapting to digital transformation. China attaches great importance to digital governance and actively contributes to the reform and development of the global governance system.

　　While governance challenges arising from digitalization have become a focus of academic research, many issues remain—particularly the lack of consensus on key concepts and differences in understanding their implications.

　　Digital governance covers a wide range of areas, including both the governance of a digital society and the digitalization in the process of governance, with considerable overlap between the two. Stakeholders include governments, businesses, and citizens. Governance issues can arise at multiple levels, from the national level to cities and local communities, and across specific sectors, each presenting its own set of issues and concerns. Data governance focuses on data as its object. On the premise of ensuring security and protecting personal privacy, it establishes a robust set of rules and clarifies the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved in data circulation, fostering a pattern of constructive multi-stakeholder interaction based on collaboration, participation, and shared benefits.

　　Today, data governance underpins digital governance at both the resource and technical levels. It encompasses the status of data as an asset, the sharing, development, and utilization of data management systems and mechanisms, as well as the protection of data security and privacy. Digital governance cannot function without data, the most valuable resource and technical tool. In this sense, data governance provides the essential technical and resource support for effective digital governance.

　　There is a wealth of studies on data governance, accompanied by a variety of definitions. Although a full consensus on definitions has not yet been reached, the core focus is largely consistent: clarifying the meaning and scope of data governance. Data governance covers several key areas, including establishing the status of data as an asset. These efforts require action not only at the national level but also across industries and organizations. Coordination among all three levels is crucial to establishing a unified, nationwide data governance system.

　　The concept of data spaces originated during the Industry 4.0 era, when networking was the primary focus. In 2014 and 2015, the concept of industrial data spaces was proposed. Over time, it evolved and further expanded from manufacturing to other sectors, ultimately giving rise to the international data space system, which serves as the foundation of today’s international data space framework. Subsequently, the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) introduced the International Data Spaces Reference Architecture Model, which defines the structural composition of data spaces. IDSA’s core outputs comprise three parts: the reference architecture model, the rules handbook, and the space protocols, with only the third part containing technical content. Overall, international data spaces essentially constitute a governance framework.

　　According to the latest version 4.0 of the International Data Spaces Reference Architecture Model, released in 2022, its objective is to facilitate secure, controllable, and ownership-preserving data sharing across organizations. It encompasses a series of definitions spanning the system, information, functional, and business layers. Apart from specific frameworks, data spaces are, in my view, essentially a governance architecture. Technology is merely a supporting tool. We cannot rely on it to solve all problems. In many places, the development of trusted data spaces is viewed as a purely technical endeavor. It is treated merely as a tool, yet technology cannot resolve issues such as data ownership.

　　In my view, we should begin by building a network of data objects, known as the Data Switching Service Network (DSSN). Based on the Internet, data is seen as an independent object that can be exchanged and circulated, separated from business systems. This constitutes the essential foundation for recognizing data as a factor of production. Based on the DSSN and driven by the digitalization needs of the physical world, data is managed and organized for specific areas and business scenarios in accordance with the structures and relationships of the corresponding natural world and physical entities. In this way, data entities, data activities, and their interrelationships form a real-world digital twin. This is what constitutes a data space.

　　China is actively advancing the development of trusted data spaces, aiming to establish more than 100 such spaces by 2028, spanning different fields and industries. In this regard, I would like to share a few thoughts: First, data spaces represent a new extension and form of cyberspace, serving as the foundation for unlocking the full value of data. Second, trusted data spaces are a vital vehicle for enabling the smooth circulation of data resources. Third, trusted data spaces embody China’s approach to advancing the market-oriented allocation reform of data elements.

　　Trusted data spaces are the vehicle and enabler of data governance. They provide the underlying infrastructure for data circulation, built on consensus and designed to connect multiple stakeholders for the sharing and joint use of data resources. They also represent an application ecosystem for co-creating the value of data elements, and, most importantly, serve as a key vehicle for supporting a unified national data market.

　　From an architectural perspective, the essence of data governance lies in promoting data sharing and utilization, safeguarding security and privacy, and building corresponding security protection systems. It is about unlocking the value of data elements through value co-creation, ensuring security and privacy via mechanisms for resource interaction and control, and establishing management systems through standards and specifications for data spaces. Ultimately, these efforts lead to a sustainable application ecosystem and reinforce the status of data as an asset.