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Shandong’s Data Industry Push: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

A practical overview of Shandong Province’s implementation opinion on accelerating high-quality development of the data industry, outlining targets, enterprise cultivation measures, data labeling, asset development, AI integration, talent, funding, infrastructure and cross-border services relevant to foreign founders operating in China.

Shandong’s Data Industry Push: A Guide for Foreign Founders

Shandong Province has issued an implementation opinion aimed at accelerating high-quality development of its data industry, with the stated goal of strengthening data as a production factor and AI technology as drivers, cultivating data enterprises and expanding the sector. For foreign founders considering company registration or operations in China, the document signals where provincial support, funding channels and infrastructure may be directed. Below is a practical summary of the measures described in the source.

Enterprise Cultivation Targets

The province plans to establish a provincial data enterprise cultivation library and carry out regular cultivation of six categories of data enterprises: data resources, data technology, data services, data applications, data security and data infrastructure. A gradient cultivation action is intended to identify and support growth-stage data enterprises, with eligible firms able to access financial services and computing power support policies.

By 2028, the source states the province aims to have more than 25,000 data enterprises, including more than 70 listed companies and more than 500 unicorn and gazelle enterprises. Foreign founders should note these are provincial targets, not individual entitlements.

Converting and Attracting Data Enterprises

The opinion encourages traditional data-intensive enterprises, industry leaders and internet platform companies to establish independent data business entities through new setups or restructuring. Traditional enterprises are encouraged to break down data barriers across production, manufacturing, circulation and sales, and to upgrade into data application enterprises. Legal, accounting, auditing and asset valuation institutions are encouraged to expand into data compliance certification, security auditing, quality evaluation, asset valuation and risk assessment.

Municipalities are encouraged to improve investment promotion policies for data enterprises, identify priority targets and conduct targeted promotion activities. They may revitalize idle parks and buildings and use methods such as equity contributions or joint construction to take on data business from leading internet companies.

Data Labeling, Resources and Asset Value

The province plans to support data labeling and processing in cities and counties with suitable conditions, including intelligent labeling and 4D labeling, and to improve capabilities in complex areas such as fintech and biomedicine. It also supports enterprises in data collection, storage, circulation, trading, development and security governance, and encourages innovation consortia with upstream and downstream firms, universities and research institutes.

Public data authorized operators are encouraged to enrich data products and services, with vertical platforms in marine, healthcare and transportation sectors. The document calls for developing data brokerage, consulting and custody formats, orderly confirmation, measurement and disclosure of data assets, and prudent exploration of data asset operation models such as equity contributions and financing guarantees.

Clusters, Supply Chains and AI Integration

Shandong will advance pilot data industry cluster zones in Jinan and Qingdao and encourage municipalities to develop specialized small clusters. By 2028, the source states the province aims to form more than 30 data industry clusters, with average annual growth of the data industry scale above 20 percent.

The opinion supports chain-leading enterprises in connecting data resources across the full chain and helping SMEs access data and computing power. It also calls for integrating the “Data Element ×” and “AI +” initiatives, developing data-as-a-service, knowledge-as-a-service and model-as-a-service formats. By 2027, it aims to build more than 50 high-quality industry datasets in 16 key fields including scientific research and healthcare, supporting AI model training and applications.

Traditional Industry Links and Data Supply

Through “Data Has a Date” activities, the province intends to match data products with application scenarios and industry needs. Counties and districts are encouraged to explore integrated development paths in agriculture, transportation, healthcare and urban governance. Traditional enterprises may recruit data enterprise “partners” and authorize accumulated data resources to data enterprises on a market basis, exploring shared value-added revenue models.

Public data openness is to be expanded and upgraded, with annual open lists updated. Authorized operation mechanisms for public data resources are to be improved, supplying high-value public data products and services to data enterprises in accordance with laws and regulations. Enterprises are encouraged to strengthen data resource management and open data while complying with classification and grading protection rules.

Talent, Funding and Infrastructure

The province plans to promote a chief data officer system in qualified data enterprises and encourage universities, research institutes and enterprises to jointly build data industry colleges and training bases. By 2028, it aims to support universities in building about 10 key data-related disciplines and add about five doctoral and master’s programs in the data field. Technical education digital literacy programs and AI general courses are also mentioned.

Provincial fiscal funds will support data enterprises, the data industry and related pilots, and eligible key projects may be recommended for central budget investment. Financing channels include listing, science and technology innovation bonds and data asset securitization (ABS) in compliance with laws and regulations. Government investment funds are to increase support, and re-lending policies for technological innovation and equipment upgrading are to be used, with financial institutions encouraged to develop products suited to data enterprises.

Infrastructure measures include a provincial integrated computing power service platform, secure and trustworthy data infrastructure, enterprise, industry and city trusted data spaces, and the “Qi Computing Interconnection” action to promote computing-network integration. Jinan, Qingdao and other cities are to carry out metropolitan “millisecond computing” actions.

Cross-Border Services and Security

Relying on the “Shan Hai Jing Going Global Comprehensive Service Port,” the province aims to provide full-chain public services and solutions for data enterprises expanding overseas. A cross-border data circulation service system is to be built, relying on the Qingdao International Communications Business Entry and Exit Bureau to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth and high-security international data transmission services. The document also mentions exploring new service models such as “incoming data processing” and “token going global” under legal compliance, and encourages municipalities to pursue national international cooperation pilots in the data field.

The opinion also stresses implementing the national data classification and grading protection system and strengthening security protections. Foreign founders should treat these as policy directions and verify specific eligibility, licensing and compliance requirements with local authorities and professional advisers.

What This Means for Foreign Founders

• Registration and entity planning: The document encourages independent data business entities and partnerships with traditional firms, which may create collaboration options for foreign-invested companies in eligible sectors.
• Sector focus: Data labeling, data resources, data assets, AI datasets, computing infrastructure and cross-border data services are highlighted areas.
• Local engagement: Municipal investment promotion policies, parks and clusters may offer practical entry points, but terms vary by city and project.
• Compliance first: Data classification, security, cross-border transfer and authorized operation rules remain central; legal and tax advice should precede any data-related business activity.

Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.