📘 Overview
You’re looking at the current AI regulatory landscape for Mainland China (will be added with information for Hong Kong etc. at a later point). A quick, structured summary of how the country governs, guides, and shapes artificial intelligence. Last update: 21-10-2026.
- Regulatory maturity: High
- Approach: Balanced
- Key priorities: security, transparency, data protection
⚖️ Core AI Laws
- Amended Cybersecurity Law of China (CSL) (2025): The amendments to the CSL (2017) include AI governance obligations (e.g. ethics, risk monitoring, safety measures) in Article 20 of the CSL.
- Cybersecurity technology—Labeling method for content generated by artificial intelligence (GB 45438-2025): This standard includes obligations for different content types to adopt different identification schemes, e.g. text, audio, or video. Shares similarities with Article 50 of the EU AI Act, but much more detailed regarding technical provisions and examples.
- Cybersecurity Technology—Security Specification for Generative Artificial Intelligence Pre-training and Fine-tuning Data (GB/T 45652-2025): Provisions regarding data management for GenAI systems.
- Cybersecurity Technology—Generative Artificial Intelligence Data Annotation Security Specification (GB/T 45674-2025): General requirements for GenAI data management.
📑 National AI Strategy
- Strategy name: „AI Plus“ Initiative, embedded in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), more here: China issues guideline to accelerate ‚AI Plus‘ integration across key sectors
- Year: 2025/2026
- Main objectives:
- Integrate AI into six key areas (science and technology, industry, consumption, public well-being, governance, and global cooperation) (2027)
- Significant growth driver (2030)
- Introducing a new stage of an „intelligent economy“ (2035)
- See also the discussion here: 两会观察 | 代表委员热议人工智能
🧭 Government Guidelines & Frameworks
- AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0 (TC260, CAC guidance) (2026): High-level guidance regarding AI risk classification and overall governance.
- Implementation Opinions on the Standardized Application and Innovative Development of Intelligent Agents (2026): China’s Cyberspace Administration (CAC) has released a policy framework regarding AI agents. First time that agents are discussed as a specific class of AI systems.
- Guidelines on Deploying AI Large Models in Government (2026): Targeted towards the government sector, supporting AI use for defined scenarios.
🏛️ Supervisory Authorities
| Authority | Role | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) | Lead AI regulator | https://www.cac.gov.cn/ |
| Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) | Industry policy, ethics, standards | https://www.miit.gov.cn/index.html |
| National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) | „AI Plus“ strategy | National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) People’s Republic of China |
| Many more agencies like MPS, SAMR. Not discussed in detail here. |
⏳ Upcoming Changes
- 2027/2030: Milestones of the „AI Plus“ strategy
📝 Notes & Commentary
China has a sophisticated framework in place, ranging from ambitious pro-innovation policies to hard law (CSL amendment, GB 45438) and soft law (AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0) approaches. From an AI governance perspective, the best strategy is to understand China’s regulation in depth and avoid a watered down global approach. Companies need to ensure they understand and implement the distinct requirements of this market, which currently heavily focus on GenAI and Cybersecurity, and I expect more developments regarding AI agents.
🔗 Official Resources
- Laws & regulations:
- Amended Cybersecurity Law of China (CSL) https://www.ncsti.gov.cn/zcfg/flfg/202510/t20251029_223557.html
- Cybersecurity technology—Labeling method for content generated by artificial intelligence (2025): 国家标准|GB 45438-2025
- Cybersecurity Technology—Security Specification for Generative Artificial Intelligence Pre-training and Fine-tuning Data (2025): 国家标准|GB/T 45652-2025
- Cybersecurity Technology—Generative Artificial Intelligence Data Annotation Security Specification (2025): 国家标准|GB/T 45674-2025
- MPS Order 176 (2026): https://gat.hunan.gov.cn/gat/ztzl2/fzyd/flfg/202608/t20260812_34043794.html
- MOFCOM/MOST Announcement No. 48 (2026): https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/zwgk/zcfb/art/2026/art_0a31a3c9ac404f7a9b0e917ce3412997.html
- Government publications:
- Guidelines:
- AI Safety Governance Framework 3.0 (CAC): https://www.cac.gov.cn/2026-09/17/c_1791397055272457.htm
- Implementation Opinions on the Standardized Application and Innovative Development of Intelligent Agents: https://www.news.cn/20260508/34c1c9684cff457a8a5e9599fd0be129/c.html
- Guidelines on Deploying AI Large Models in Government: https://www.cac.gov.cn/2025-10/10/c_1761819469929310.htm