China sets 2030 target for national blockchain network

China’s National Informatization Plan for the 15th Five-Year Period sets a 2030 target to substantially complete a national blockchain network, outlining infrastructure and applications across regions and industries. The plan, issued by the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, establishes a policy goal rather than confirming that the network is already operating. An October 23 announcement from the Cyberspace Administration of China described the 14-page plan, which directs authorities to develop blockchain infrastructure and applications in shipping, government services, taxation and carbon reduction. The document also calls for stronger technical standards and wider use of blockchain in data circulation and transactions. The plan assigns different priorities to regional economies. In the Yangtze River Delta, authorities are directed to deepen blockchain use in trade and finance. In the Chengdu-Chongqing region, the plan calls for large-scale applications in commerce, manufacturing and agriculture. It also includes blockchain applications in smart logistics for Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and development of applications and cross-border data flows in the Guangdong-Hong...