Hong Kong inks cross-border data transfer deal for Greater Bay Area with China’s internet regulator following crackdown
- The Cyberspace Administration of China and Hong Kong’s tech bureau agreed to draft rules allowing for the flow of user data between Guangdong and the city
- It comes two years after Beijing started tightening its grip on internet data with new regulations and cybersecurity reviews
Hong Kong and China’s central government have signed a memorandum making cross-border data transfers easier within the Greater Bay Area, in a deal that could give the southern semi-autonomous city a special role in handling data from China.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s data watchdog, and Hong Kong’s Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau agreed to draft rules for the safe flow of data within the region, which includes Macau and nine cities in Guangdong province, under a national data security management framework, according to an announcement from the agency on Friday.
While the CAC did not disclose details, it said the deal is expected to enhance data flows between the mainland and Hong Kong, bringing the full use of data into play.
In a Facebook post, former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying called the memorandum an “achievement” and a “breakthrough” that comes after years of effort from both sides. Leung, also a vice-chairman of China’s top political advisory body, said the deal can “balance the nation’s cybersecurity and the need for cross-border exchanges”.
Sun Dong, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, said in a separate announcement on the local government website that the memorandum could facilitate the transfer of mainland data to Hong Kong in a convenient and orderly manner, which will help the city build a global data hub.
“Facilitating data flow in the bay area is an important initiative for promoting the integrated and high-quality development of the bay area, lowering the compliance costs of enterprises and driving the development of Hong Kong’s digital economy and proactively integrating Hong Kong into national development,” the tech chief said in the statement.