On June 15, Xu Xiaolin, a distinguished professor of Public Administration at Hunan Agricultural University, gave a keynote presentation entitled "Policy Exploration or the Release of Public Data Value" at the conference "Exploration China Policy Studies from a Global Perspective: Theory and Practice." Utilizing recent digital governance practices in Guangdong Province, Professor Xu emphasized the necessity to maximize the potential value of public data through policy guidance, thereby fostering the growth of the digital economy.

Professor Xu's speech began with a systematic review of the top-level design of the Chinese government's policies related to data elements. He discussed key policies such as “Program of Action to Promote the Development of Big Data”, “Interim Measures for the Sharing”, “Management of Government Information Resources” and “Pilot Work Program for the Opening of Public Information Resources”. These policies have laid a solid foundation for the development of China's data element market, particularly the strategic decision in 2019 to include data as agents of production. Meanwhile, Professor Xu provided an in-depth analysis of the critical "Data 20 Provisions" policy, emphasizing essential issues regarding data resource ownership, processing rights, and operation rights. He highlighted that data resources should be freely used in public governance and public welfare undertakings, while their use in industry and business development should be compensated. This policy design not only safeguards the public ownership of data resources but also facilitates their efficient flow and utilization within the commercial sector.

Drawing on data governance practices in Guangdong Province, Professor Xu underscored the pivotal role of node technology in advancing this process. He proposed that platform paradigms of traditional technology are inadequate for addressing current data governance challenges. Instead, the adoption of node thinking and distributed technology is essential for effectively advance data governance. Professor Xu emphasized that Guangdong Province has successfully achieved the synergy of data and commerce among organizations, offering valuable lessons for other regions. However, he suggested that numerous issues in the digital economy and social governance remain unresolved, such as transforming data resources into data assets and capital, and defining the boundary between public and non-public goods. In order to address these challenges, it is necessary for young scholars to actively participate in exploring new pathways to unlock the value of data.

Introduction to Keynote Speakers

Dr. Xiaolin Xu is a Distinguished Professor in Public Administration of Hunan Agricultural University, the founding Dean and a Professor of the College of Public Administration at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. His research focuses on digital city government management (e-government) and public administration theory. He has led 13 national-level projects, including major and key projects funded by the National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and has received 20 provincial and ministerial-level teaching and research awards. Dr. Xu was awarded the “Chester A. Newland Presidential Citation of Merit” by the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) in 2013.