
China’s internet watchdog launches cybersecurity investigation into country’s largest academic research database CNKI
- The Cyberspace Administration of China started its investigation on the grounds that CNKI holds a large amount of data on national defence, telecoms and finance
- The privately-owned firm also has ‘sensitive information’ related to the country’s major projects and development of core technologies
CNKI also has “sensitive information” related to the country’s major projects, significant technological achievements and development of core technologies, the CAC said. It did not provide additional details.

CNKI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Before CAS, at least six Chinese universities had already stopped using CNKI’s service because of substantial fee increases over the past decade, according to local media reports.
China launches antitrust investigation into biggest academic database
It is also the CAC’s first such review since the new measures took effect in February this year. In July last year, the internet watchdog started to provide an additional layer of oversight in the country’s approval process for Chinese companies going public in foreign capital markets.
CNKI parent Tsinghua Tongfang, however, has no publicly known plans to list overseas.
