China's Central Authorities Issue Guidelines to Promote Healthy and Orderly Development of Mobile Internet

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According to Xinhua News Agency, on January 15, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Promoting the Healthy and Orderly Development of Mobile Internet,” and circulated a notice requiring all regions and departments to earnestly implement them in light of actual conditions.

The full text of the "Opinions on Promoting the Healthy and Orderly Development of Mobile Internet" is as follows.

With the rapid development of information network technologies and the widespread adoption of mobile smart terminals, mobile internet has strongly promoted the deep integration of the internet and the real economy, leveraging its prominent advantages such as ubiquity, connectivity, intelligence, and inclusiveness. It has become a new frontier for innovative development, a new platform for public services, and a new channel for information sharing. To thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s strategic thought on building a cyber powerhouse and to foster the healthy and orderly development of China’s mobile internet, the following opinions are hereby proposed.

1. Importance and Urgency.Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to cybersecurity and informatization work. It established the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization and made a series of major decisions and deployments, which have effectively promoted the healthy development of the cybersecurity and informatization cause, particularly mobile internet. This has played a significant role in facilitating people’s production and daily lives, promoting economic and social development, and safeguarding national security. Currently, as internet technologies, platforms, applications, and business models are closely integrated with mobile communication technologies, new mobile internet technologies are rapidly evolving, new applications are emerging in large numbers, and new business formats are flourishing. The tool, media, and social attributes of mobile internet are becoming increasingly prominent. Its ecosystem is initially formed and expanding at an accelerated pace, making it an increasingly important new space for people’s learning, work, and daily life.

Meanwhile, security threats and risks associated with mobile internet are becoming increasingly prominent, permeating and extending into economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological domains. In the face of new circumstances and challenges, there remain certain shortcomings in the development and management of the mobile internet: institutional mechanisms require improvement, the rule of law lags behind, policy support is insufficient, independent innovation capacity is inadequate, core technologies urgently need breakthroughs, the foundational basis for management is relatively weak, corporate entities have not fully assumed their primary responsibilities, and security strategies are incomplete. These issues have already constrained the healthy and orderly development of the mobile internet and must be addressed with high priority and urgency.

2. Guiding Principles.Fully implement the spirit of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Plenary Sessions of its 18th Central Committee. Guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of “Three Represents,” and the Scientific Outlook on Development, thoroughly apply General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of important speeches and his new concepts, new ideas, and new strategies for governance. Closely revolve around the overall layout of promoting economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction in an integrated manner (“Five-Sphere Integrated Plan”) and the strategic layout of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law, and strengthening Party discipline (“Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy”). Actively practice the new development philosophy, adhere to the people-centered development approach, and ensure that encouragement, support, and standardized development proceed in parallel; policy guidance and legal management are implemented simultaneously; and economic benefits and social benefits are given equal weight. Build consensus, prevent risks, win public support, safeguard security, and promote development. Encourage and support technological innovation, stimulate and protect corporate vitality, and continuously enhance endogenous growth drivers. Comprehensively advance the healthy and orderly development of the mobile internet to better serve the overall situation of the Party and the country’s development, ensuring that the fruits of mobile internet development benefit the people more effectively.

3. Basic Principles.Adhere to the principle of development for the people, fully leverage the advantages of mobile internet, narrow the digital divide, stimulate economic vitality, and provide the public with accessible, affordable, and high-quality mobile internet information services. Adhere to reform-led development, improve market access, regulate competitive order, optimize the development environment, and fully unleash innovation vitality and market energy. Adhere to innovation as the core, strengthen goal-oriented, problem-oriented, and results-oriented approaches, give play to the roles of management entities, operational entities, and user entities, and comprehensively promote innovations in concepts, mechanisms, and methods. Adhere to content as the foundation, innovate content production, expand sharing channels, and purify the interactive ecosystem. Adhere to classified guidance and implement categorized management for mobile internet information services. Adhere to security and controllability, comprehensively identify, scientifically assess, effectively prevent, and resolve risks and hidden dangers brought about by the rapid development of the mobile internet, and effectively safeguard the security of network data, technologies, and applications.

4. Improve the market access system.We will deepen the reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, strengthen regulation, and improve services; further cancel or decentralize relevant administrative approval items; accelerate the transition from “permit-first, license-later” to “license-first, permit-later”; simplify approval procedures; and enhance approval efficiency. We will establish and improve market access systems adapted to the evolution and development of the mobile Internet, refine the tiered and categorized management system for telecommunications services, and strengthen mechanisms for filing and comprehensive assessment of new mobile Internet services. Under the premise of ensuring security, we will guide the development of a diversified investment and financing market, actively and prudently advance the opening of the telecommunications market, and foster a new market landscape in which diverse forms of capital and various market entities leverage their respective strengths, engage in competition, and achieve common development.

5. Accelerate the evolution and upgrading of information infrastructure.Comprehensively advance the deep coverage of fourth-generation mobile communication (4G) networks in urban areas, gradual coverage in rural areas, and priority coverage in poverty-stricken areas. Accelerate research and development of fifth-generation mobile communication (5G) technology, and coordinate the formulation of standards, system verification, and commercial deployment. Enhance network service capabilities, simplify the structure of telecommunications tariffs, achieve a reasonable reduction in network fees, and improve cost-effectiveness and user experience. Innovate investment and operational models, expand the reach of broadband access networks, accelerate the construction and application of wireless local area networks (WLANs) in public places such as civil aviation aircraft, high-speed railways, and urban transportation, and drive and guide commercial service venues to achieve WLAN coverage and free access. Accelerate the construction and optimize the layout of new application infrastructure, including content delivery networks, cloud computing, and big data platforms. Open up competitive basic telecommunications services to private capital, deeply promote the development of mobile communication resale businesses, and form a market pattern characterized by co-construction and sharing of infrastructure and mutual competition in business services. Improve the quality of interconnection between internet backbone networks, optimize interconnection architecture, explore the establishment of a long-term mechanism for inter-network settlement based on long-run incremental costs, better meet users’ needs for mobile number portability, and create a favorable environment for market competition.

6. Achieve systematic breakthroughs in core technologies.Unswervingly implement the innovation-driven development strategy, concentrate resources to achieve major breakthroughs in R&D investment, accelerate breakthroughs and the commercialization of core technologies such as mobile chips, mobile operating systems, smart sensors, and location-based services, promote the formulation of standards for core hardware and software, development environments, and peripheral devices, expedite the deployment of key emerging mobile internet technologies including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), and strive to achieve global leadership in certain frontier and disruptive technologies as soon as possible. Implement the policy of additional pre-tax deduction for corporate R&D expenses, innovate mechanisms for R&D investment in core technologies, explore market-oriented “open competition” mechanisms for tackling key core technological challenges, focus on enhancing the contributions and influence of China’s backbone enterprises and research institutions in global open-source communities for core technologies, and actively promote the development of Chinese open-source communities for core technologies.

7. Promote collaborative innovation within the industrial ecosystem.Coordinate basic research, technological innovation, industrial development, and application deployment in the mobile internet sector, and strengthen coordination and interaction across all links of the industrial chain. Encourage and support enterprises in becoming the main entities for R&D, innovation, and industrialization; accelerate the formation of industry-academia-research-application alliances; and promote integrated innovation among upstream and downstream players, including information service providers, telecommunications operators, terminal manufacturers, equipment manufacturers, and foundational software and hardware companies. Promote the integrated development of strategic emerging industries such as information technology and digital creativity. Enhance the value-added of products and services, and accelerate the migration of the mobile internet industry toward the high end of the value chain. Improve the public service system covering standard formulation, achievement transformation, testing and verification, and investment and financing assessment for industrialization. Accelerate the layout of technical standards, industrial ecosystems, and security assurance systems for next-generation internet technologies, and comprehensively advance the evolution and upgrade to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6). Coordinate the strategic planning, special scientific and technological projects, and industrial development of the Internet of Things (IoT), and build a number of typical IoT application demonstration projects with outstanding effectiveness, strong driving capacity, and high relevance.

8. Strengthen the utilization and protection of intellectual property rights.Conduct patent navigation in the mobile internet sector, formulate a checklist of recommendations for patent layout directions, and encourage enterprises to carry out strategic intellectual property (IP) layouts in frontier and cross-disciplinary integration fields, thereby enriching their reserves of core technology patents. Promote the construction of platforms for IP operation, trading, and services; accelerate the opening and sharing of patent information resources; and encourage large mobile internet enterprises to jointly establish patent pools with mechanisms for resource sharing and benefit distribution. Establish an IP risk management system, strengthen IP early warning systems, and provide legal aid for cross-border disputes. Enhance IP protection for innovative achievements in mobile internet technologies and business models, study and improve relevant laws and regulations, standardize online service order, increase the costs of infringement and violations, and effectively deter infringing activities.

9. Stimulate the vitality of the information economy.Accelerate the formulation and improvement of policies and measures for the development of the information economy, integrate the development of mobile internet into the coordinated planning of national information economy demonstration zones, encourage pilot initiatives for leading mobile internet technologies and innovative applications, support innovation and entrepreneurship based on mobile internet technologies, and promote economic transformation, upgrading, quality improvement, and efficiency enhancement. Accelerate the implementation of the "Internet Plus" action plan and the national big data strategy, vigorously promote the deep integration of mobile internet with agriculture, industry, and services, drive the flow of technology, capital, talent, and materials through information flows, optimize resource allocation, and enhance total factor productivity. Innovate development models for the information economy, strengthen the effective supply of secure and high-quality mobile internet products, services, and content, actively cultivate and regulate new sharing economy formats based on mobile internet such as ride-hailing, housing rentals, and payments, and promote rapid growth in the scale of information consumption and a healthy, vibrant information consumption market.

10. Support the growth and expansion of small, medium, and micro internet enterprises.Fully leverage national policy measures to promote the innovative development of small, medium, and micro internet enterprises in the mobile internet sector, supporting and fostering mass entrepreneurship and innovation. Further utilize the guiding and supportive roles of policy-oriented funds such as the National Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund and the National Innovation Fund, effectively implement tax and fee reduction policies, provide strong support in areas including credit guarantees, financing and listing, and government procurement of services, and eliminate institutional barriers that hinder or affect the use of mobile internet for mass entrepreneurship and innovation. Actively support various small, medium, and micro enterprises in developing new mobile internet technologies, applications, and business models; build collaborative innovation platforms and new types of incubators for the mobile internet; develop new models such as crowd creation, crowdsourcing, crowd support, and crowdfunding; and expand financing channels for domestic private capital and venture capital. Fully leverage the leading role of basic telecommunications enterprises and large internet companies to actively support the development of upstream and downstream small, medium, and micro enterprises through production collaboration, open platforms, and resource sharing. Curb the abuse of market dominance by enterprises that disrupts competitive order, and create a fair and orderly market competition environment.

11. Promote the universal benefit of information services.Leverage mobile internet to strengthen e-government development, improve the top-level design of national e-government, and accelerate the advancement of “Internet + Government Services.” Under the premise of ensuring data security and personal privacy, promote the open utilization of public information resources, prioritizing the release of government datasets in areas related to people’s livelihood and social security to the public. Accelerate the implementation of information-based projects for public benefit, build an integrated online service platform, advance the construction of new smart cities in a tiered and categorized manner, and promote deep integration between mobile internet and public services. Focus on facilitating convenient mobile-internet-based services in transportation, tourism, education, healthcare, employment, social security, elderly care, public security, and judicial affairs. Leverage the extensive coverage and precise positioning capabilities of mobile internet to extend these services to sub-districts, communities, and rural areas, thereby promoting equalization of basic public services. Encourage party and government organs at all levels to actively use new mobile media platforms to release government information, thereby enhancing transparency, public service delivery, and social governance.

12. Implement the Action Plan for Poverty Alleviation through Internet Connectivity.In accordance with the requirements for targeted poverty alleviation and precise poverty eradication, increase investment in mobile internet infrastructure construction in central and western regions and rural impoverished areas. Fully leverage the guiding role of central fiscal funds to drive investments from local fiscal funds and social capital, thereby accelerating the achievement of full network coverage in impoverished areas. Encourage basic telecommunications enterprises to offer preferential tariff packages tailored to impoverished areas, explore the launch of services that bind “individuals, devices, SIM cards, and phone numbers,” and precisely reduce or waive internet communication fees for impoverished households. Focusing on telemedicine services and online education and training, vigorously promote new mobile internet technologies and applications to provide higher-quality and more convenient services for the sales of agricultural products, rural tourism, production guidance, employment services, and skills training in impoverished areas. Relying on the collective efforts of various parties, including the Network Public Welfare Poverty Alleviation Alliance, facilitate pairing assistance between cybersecurity and informatization enterprises and impoverished areas, organize well-known e-commerce platforms to establish dedicated poverty alleviation channels for these regions, and actively develop mobile internet applications suited to the characteristics and needs of ethnic minority and remote border areas. Adhere to equal emphasis on economic and social benefits; based on thorough project feasibility studies, fully utilize the role of the China Internet Investment Fund to vigorously promote the implementation and sustainable operation of livelihood protection projects in education, healthcare, public cultural services, and other sectors based on mobile internet.

13. Promote the prosperity and development of online culture.Adhere to the communication patterns of mobile internet, implement content development projects such as the online dissemination of core socialist values and excellent traditional Chinese culture, and cultivate a positive, healthy, and uplifting cyberculture. Increase efforts in the development and promotion of mobile platforms by mainstream media outlets, including central and local major news organizations and key news websites, and actively support various accounts and applications that promote positive energy. Strengthen the development of mobile platforms for news media, and build an all-media communication system with correct orientation and efficient coordination. Launch pilot programs for special management shares in fields such as internet news information services, online publishing services, and audio-visual program services disseminated via information networks. Vigorously promote the deep integration and development of traditional media and mobile new media, accelerate the strategic layout of mobile internet presence, and establish a group of new-type media conglomerates with strong capabilities, communication power, credibility, and influence.

14. Enhance the level of cybersecurity assurance.Firmly establish a correct perspective on cybersecurity and the concept of dynamic, comprehensive protection. Adhere to the principle of ensuring development through security and promoting security through development. Achieve all-around, round-the-clock situational awareness of mobile internet security, continuously strengthen the security assurance capabilities for mobile internet infrastructure networks, and vigorously promote the application of cyberspace security technologies and standards with independent intellectual property rights. Enhance cybersecurity defense capabilities, implement the cybersecurity responsibility system, formulate and improve cybersecurity standards for critical information infrastructure and big data security, and clearly define protection targets, protection levels, and protective measures. Comprehensively strengthen cybersecurity inspections to ascertain assets, identify risks, uncover vulnerabilities, and urge rectification. Establish unified and efficient mechanisms for cybersecurity risk reporting, intelligence sharing, and analysis and disposal.

15. Safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of users.Improve the system for protecting mobile internet user information, strictly regulate the collection and use of personal information such as user identity, geographic location, contact details, communication content, and consumption records, and safeguard users' rights to know, right to choose, and right to privacy. Urge mobile internet enterprises to earnestly fulfill user service agreements and related commitments, improve the service quality management system, enhance complaint handling mechanisms, and provide safer, higher-quality, more convenient, and practical products and services. Increase efforts to crack down on activities that infringe upon user rights using "fake base stations," illegal websites, and malicious software, effectively safeguarding consumer rights and interests as well as industry order.

16. Crack down on online illegal and criminal activities.Resolutely crack down on illegal and criminal activities that use the mobile internet to advocate the overthrow of state power, incite religious extremism, promote ethnic separatism, or instigate violence and terrorism. Strictly investigate and punish illegal and criminal acts such as spreading rumors and slander, telecommunications and online fraud, cyberattacks and theft of secrets, piracy and infringement, and illegal sale of personal information. Comprehensively clean up illegal and non-compliant information related to gambling, pyramid schemes, illegal fundraising, obscenity and pornography, and involvement with guns and explosives.

17. Enhance network management capabilities.Strengthen the management of foundational network resources, standardize basic telecommunications services, and enforce the primary responsibilities of basic telecommunications service operators, internet access service providers, information service providers, and domain name service providers. Innovate management approaches, enhance research on emerging technologies, applications, and business models, and conduct security assessments. Improve the administration of information services, regulate dissemination practices, and maintain a healthy communication order in the mobile internet ecosystem.

18. Expand the scope of international cooperation.Guided by the national “Belt and Road” strategy, we will advance international cooperation on a Digital Silk Road, promote interconnectivity of mobile internet infrastructure, and vigorously develop cross-border mobile e-commerce. In key technologies and critical areas such as fifth-generation mobile communications (5G), next-generation internet, the Internet of Things (IoT), and cybersecurity, we will actively participate in the formulation of international standards and engage in exchanges and cooperation. We will support Chinese mobile internet companies in going global, encourage them to explore international markets through diverse approaches, intensify overseas promotion of mobile internet applications, products, and services, build a robust cross-border industrial chain system, and continuously expand their overseas development space.

19. Participate in the global governance of mobile internet.Comprehensively engage with organizations, mechanisms, and activities related to global mobile internet governance, and strengthen bilateral and multilateral dialogue and cooperation. Deeply participate in and actively promote the formulation of rules and standards in the field of mobile internet. Leverage platforms such as the World Internet Conference to vigorously communicate China’s positions on internet governance. Establish and improve information-sharing mechanisms, and actively participate in international joint operations to combat illegal and criminal activities involving the mobile internet.

20. Strengthen the capacity for international communication.Deepen people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries, actively leverage various social media platforms, effectively utilize diverse communication channels, and employ concepts, categories, and expressions that resonate with both Chinese and international audiences to tell China’s stories well and project a positive image of China. Build internationally influential media outlets for communication, innovate multilingual and cross-platform interactive dissemination, and continuously enhance the global reach and influence of mobile internet-based international communication.

21. Improve the management system.Under the unified leadership of the Central Leading Group for Cybersecurity and Informatization, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission shall further strengthen overall coordination, supervision, and inspection in mobile internet management; establish and improve mechanisms such as joint conferences and regular work meetings; study and address major issues and developments concerning the development and management of the mobile internet across various regions and departments; and supervise and guide these regions and departments in effectively implementing the decisions, work deployments, and relevant requirements issued by the Leading Group. Relevant departments—including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Culture, and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television—as well as the military, shall faithfully fulfill their respective responsibilities, strengthen supervisory administration over mobile internet-related businesses in accordance with the law, and formulate and issue policy measures to support and promote the technological advancement and industrial development of the mobile internet. The responsibilities of local cyberspace affairs authorities for the supervisory administration and law enforcement regarding internet information content shall be clearly defined; a three-tier management system spanning the central, provincial, and municipal levels shall be improved; and safeguards in terms of personnel, funding, and technology shall be strengthened.

22. Expand Social Participation.Encourage broad participation from all sectors of society in the governance of the mobile internet, accelerate the development of social organizations in the mobile internet sector, and support various stakeholders, including the China Internet Development Foundation and the Internet Society of China, in actively carrying out online public welfare initiatives. Guide mobile internet users to engage in civilized online behavior and actively participate in purifying the online environment and maintaining cyberspace order. Improve the industry credit evaluation system and service review mechanisms, and enhance the coordinated mechanism involving industry management, corporate self-discipline, and public oversight.

23. Advance the development of the talent workforce.Strengthen the talent development system within the cybersecurity and informatization sector, continuously enhance professional capabilities and overall competencies, and prioritize the cultivation, selection, and appointment of leading cadres who are well-versed in the development and management of the mobile internet. Adhere to a pilot-first approach, innovate mechanisms for talent introduction, evaluation, mobility, and incentives, and gather outstanding talents from all sectors to contribute to the cause of cybersecurity and informatization. Make concerted efforts to build a cluster of high-end think tanks to provide intellectual support for the development and management of the mobile internet. Implement special policies to establish personnel and compensation systems tailored to the unique characteristics of the cybersecurity and informatization field.

24. Strengthen legal safeguards.Accelerate the legislative process for cyberspace governance, improve regulatory measures in accordance with the law, and mitigate cyber risks. Fully implement the Cybersecurity Law, expedite foundational legislation such as the E-Commerce Law, and formulate or revise administrative regulations including the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, the Regulations on the Security Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, and the Regulations on the Online Protection of Minors. Improve judicial interpretations and policy guidelines to promote the extended application of existing laws and regulations to mobile internet governance. Establish and soundly develop key management systems for network data administration and personal information protection. Enhance the multi-departmental law enforcement coordination mechanism for mobile internet governance, accelerate the development of IT systems for law enforcement, and improve capabilities in identifying, collecting evidence from, and jointly investigating and cracking down on cybercrimes. Strengthen legal education on cyberspace issues, reinforce citizens’ awareness of the rule of law, and enhance the overall digital literacy of the public.