China to refine AI-related legal framework

BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese courts will refine judicial rules governing issues related to artificial intelligence (AI) and data property rights over the next five years, a senior judge from the country's top court said Wednesday.

Liu Guixiang, a senior member of the adjudicatory committee of the Supreme People's Court, told a press conference that Chinese courts would step up research and the formulation of new judicial guidelines covering emerging industries during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).

Relevant rules will focus on new business forms in the digital economy and aim to improve adjudication standards in areas including data rights, data transactions and AI-generated content, Liu said.

The move is designed to promote deeper integration between digital technologies and the real economy, while helping improve the country's foundational systems for data as a factor of production, Liu said.

This comes as China has stepped up efforts to strengthen the legal framework supporting the development of its digital economy.

The nation's 15th Five-Year Plan sets targets for advancing the Digital China initiative, with efforts to ensure the efficient supply of computing power, algorithms and data, and to foster a healthy and well-regulated development ecosystem.

Also speaking at Wednesday's press conference, Teng Jiguo, deputy secretary-general of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China will step up legislation in key, emerging and foreign-related areas, while improving a fast-response legislative mechanism to address issues of urgent public concern and practical necessity.

Vice Minister of Justice Wu Zeng said the ministry will work to formulate regulations on building a unified national market, and use legal and regulatory measures to remove bottlenecks and barriers hindering the market's development.

Wu added that comprehensive legislative work to support the healthy development of AI and legislation related to the low-altitude economy will also be accelerated. Enditem