Work Update | Industrial Data Elements Research Group Visits IBI and NewLink Group for Exchange and Learning
On March 5, the Preparatory Group for the Industrial Internet Branch of the China Information Association, together with the Data and Technology Support Center of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the National Industrial Information Security Development Research Center, and the Tsinghua University Institute for Internet Industry, formed a research group on industrial data elements to visit IBI and NewLink Group. The aim was to gain an in-depth understanding of the development status, achievements, challenges, and policy needs related to the data-elementization of industrial internet platforms. The exchange was attended by Pan Yong, Director, Senior Vice President, and Board Secretary of IBI, and Su Wei, Partner and Senior Vice President of NewLink Group.
With the release of key policies such as the “Twenty Data Measures” and “Data Elements X,” the national policy framework for data elements has been continuously strengthened, with increasing support for the recognition of data as a new factor of production. Its potential and value are gaining growing attention across society and seeing deeper practical applications.
As key infrastructure for upgrading the entire industrial chain, industrial internet platforms aggregate and circulate vast volumes of high-value data from transactions, supply chains, production, and operations through order-driven services, providing upstream and downstream enterprises with professional digital solutions for transactions, supply chains, operations, and industry-wide transformation. These platforms act not only as circulation-oriented “digital commerce operators” but are also evolving into application-oriented operators, delivering high-value data products such as price indices, data reports, analytics tools, and data models — making them important participants and drivers in the data elements market.
Field Visits and Discussions
In the morning, the research group toured IBI’s Data Center and IBI Cloud Digital Experience Center, followed by a roundtable discussion with Pan Yong, Guan Chao (CEO of YGbid), and Zhang Meifu (CTO of IBI). In the afternoon, the group visited the NewLink Group corporate showroom and held discussions with Su Wei, NewLink CTO Diao Shihan, and Liu Jia, President of the Smart Power Technology Research Institute.
The talks covered the general situation of platform data resources, current data governance practices, typical data products and application scenarios, next steps, as well as the challenges and policy needs encountered in advancing the elementization, productization, and assetization of data. While industrial internet platforms have made progress in data resource management and data product development, challenges remain in areas such as data rights confirmation, registration, pricing, trading, and inclusion in balance sheets. These issues require broader engagement and strong support from government bodies, industry associations, research institutions, universities, data exchanges, law firms, and accounting firms.
Next Steps
The research group plans to continue on-site visits to industrial internet platforms in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, as well as conduct broad online research and collect typical case studies. Upon completion, the group will prepare a detailed analysis report and industry briefing for submission to relevant authorities for decision-making reference.
Looking forward, the Preparatory Group for the China Information Industry Association Industrial Internet Branch will join forces with research institutes, universities, data exchanges, accounting firms, law firms, and technology-oriented digital commerce operators to launch the Industrial Data Elements Working Group. The group will focus on the full lifecycle of industrial data elements — including rights confirmation, registration, evaluation, pricing, circulation, trading, and inclusion in balance sheets — to promote the resourceization, productization, and assetization of industrial data. This will enhance the efficient circulation and utilization of industrial data elements and better empower the high-quality development of the real economy.
China Information Industry Association Industrial Internet Branch is a national non-profit industry organization jointly initiated by industrial internet platform enterprises, supporting service providers in finance, logistics, technology, and security, as well as research institutions and universities. The branch is committed to becoming a bridge, cooperation platform, industry think tank, and development center for the industrial internet sector, fostering the joint planning, promotion, and sharing of industrial internet innovation and development outcomes.
