Lu Jian and Yang Xiaojuan: National Unified Market for Data Elements: Situation, Problems, and Countermeasures

Release time:2025-08-12Author: Lu Jian and Yang Xiaojuan

The construction of a unified national market includes building a national integrated technology and data market. At present, data element trading in China is developing rapidly, with a large number of data products and data application scenarios constantly emerging. Various generative artificial intelligence (such as big models) gives rise to the high-quality data demand of large technology enterprises, resulting in an industrial added value of over 12 trillion yuan in China's digital economy core output value by 2023, accounting for about 10% of GDP.


However, there are still several institutional difficulties in the construction of a unified national market for data elements.

1. The problems of unclear ownership and data pricing have always existed.

2. The data trading method is relatively single and the transaction cost has always been high.

3. There is a lack of the guarantee mechanism for data usage risks.

4. The rights and responsibilities in public data management as well as the transaction subjects are unclear.

5. The positive incentives for data trading are insufficient.


This article provides targeted thinking and proposes corresponding countermeasures and suggestions.

1. Improve the national unified data element management system.

2. Promote market transactions of data elements.

3. Coordinate the construction of a data security regulatory system.

4. Build an open and collaborative data space development ecosystem.

5. Vigorously strengthen the support services for the development of the data market.