The Chinese central government has flagged greater guidance and oversight of the development of the country’s big data industries. “[We] are striving to improve the top-level planning of big data industry development and strengthen innovation of technology and products,” said Xu Xiaolan (???), deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), on 25 November at the opening of the Shanghai Data Exchange in Pudong. “We are engaging in in-depth trials of big data industries and optimising the industry development environment.” Xu highlighted China’s current focus on the development of the market for data as a factor of...