Ministry of Transport Notice on the Issuance of the “Outline for the Development of Digital Transportation” Jiao Guihua Fa [2019] No. 89

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will comprehensively implement the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second and Third Plenary Sessions of the 19th CPC Central Committee, put into practice General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on accelerating the building of Digital China, coordinate and advance the “five-sphere integrated plan” and the “four-pronged comprehensive strategy,” and follow the eight-character guideline of “consolidate, strengthen, upgrade, and unblock.” Seizing the opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, we will remain committed to promoting high-quality development, putting the people at the center, and making innovation the primary driving force. We will foster the deep integration of advanced information technologies with transportation, taking the “data chain” as the central thread to build a digital data‑collection system, a networked transmission infrastructure, and an intelligent application framework, thereby accelerating the digital, networked, and intelligent transformation of transport informatization and providing robust support for building a strong transportation nation.

Innovation leads, and data empowers. By treating data as a key factor, we will empower the transportation sector and related industries, drive coordinated innovation across business models, industry formats, products, and services, enhance the quality of mobility and logistics services, ensure that the benefits of digitalization reach the people, and strengthen their sense of gain.

Joint construction and shared benefits, integrated development. Fully leverage the institutional advantages of unified planning and coordinated advancement to foster synergistic efforts among government, enterprises, industries, and between ministries and provinces. Harness the role of market entities, allocate various resource factors in a scientifically sound manner, and build a cross‑sectoral, co‑created, and shared digital transportation industry ecosystem. Use data chains to facilitate efficient intermodal connectivity and promote two‑way data exchange and application between government and enterprises.

Prevent risks and ensure security. Balancing innovative development with secure development, we will proactively identify and mitigate information security risks arising from digital transformation, strengthen cybersecurity and data protection capabilities, and safeguard public safety and national interests.

Be bold in exploration and lead with pilot projects. Upholding a global vision, international standards, and Chinese characteristics, we will adopt an open and inclusive approach, align with technological development trends, and leverage pilot initiatives as a key mechanism to pool resources in technology, expertise, and industry. By setting exemplary models, we will gradually forge a “China Experience” and a “China Solution” for the development of digital transportation.

By 2025, comprehensive, end-to-end upgrades of transportation infrastructure and vehicles will have advanced to new milestones; digital data‑collection systems and networked transmission networks will be largely in place; transportation will have become the primary civilian application sector for the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System; and fifth‑generation mobile communications (5G) along with next‑generation satellite communication systems will have begun to see initial industry‑wide deployment. Big data in the transport sector will see a substantial enhancement, with end‑to‑end coverage of travel information services, the platform‑based and integrated development of logistics service platforms, and a marked improvement in industry governance and public service capabilities. Furthermore, deep integration among transportation and industries such as automotive, telecommunications, and internet services will yield cutting‑edge new business models and technological applications.

By 2035, transportation infrastructure will have achieved full‑element, full‑lifecycle digitalization; a basic traffic control network will be in place; on-demand, real-time mobility services will be widely deployed; and China will serve as a major developer or participant in international standards for the digital transport sector, with globally leading competitiveness in digital transportation.

Promote the digitalization of all elements and the entire lifecycle—covering planning, design, construction, maintenance, and operational management—of transportation infrastructure. Build a nationwide high-precision transportation geographic information platform, refine data on transportation engineering and other key components, and achieve three-dimensional digital representations of physical facilities, thereby supporting specialized navigation applications such as autonomous driving and oversized‑cargo transport in complex, all‑weather traffic scenarios. For major transportation infrastructure projects, implement full‑lifecycle health‑performance monitoring and widely deploy IoT‑based quality‑control technologies.

Promote the deployment of traffic‑sensing networks along key road segments, waterway routes, and at critical nodes such as tunnels, bridge interchanges, and ship locks. Integrate the planning and construction of these sensing networks with transportation infrastructure, deepen the application of roadside intelligent devices like ETC gantries on expressways, and establish cloud‑connected sensing networks that enable “dumb” facilities to perform multi‑dimensional monitoring, achieve networked connectivity, implement precise control, and deliver collaborative service capabilities. Emphasize the integrated use of crowdsourced data and mobile‑phone signaling. Build a foundational cloud platform for a connected traffic‑control network that links vehicles, infrastructure, and the travel environment. Accelerate the adoption of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System in areas such as free‑flow tolling, autonomous driving, vehicle‑infrastructure cooperation, maritime search and rescue, automated port operations, and freight‑logistics coordination and dispatch.

Encourage the deployment of terminal devices equipped with multi‑dimensional sensing, high‑precision positioning, and intelligent connectivity capabilities, thereby enhancing the remote monitoring, fault diagnosis, risk early warning, and optimized control of transport vehicles. Promote research and development in autonomous driving and vehicle‑infrastructure cooperative systems, and advance the construction of dedicated test facilities. Foster the widespread adoption of IoT and autonomous driving technologies in logistics parks, ports, railway freight stations, and airport cargo terminals, while scaling up the use of automated three‑dimensional warehouses, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and intelligent conveying, sorting, and handling equipment. Drive the development of autonomous vessels, automated terminals, and automated container yards, and strengthen information sharing and operational coordination among port‑related logistics entities and upstream and downstream enterprises.

Promote the integrated development of transportation infrastructure and information infrastructure, foster deep integration between dedicated transportation networks and the “Sky Network” and public networks, advance the deployment and application of vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X) systems, 5G, satellite communication networks, and other information networks, and enhance the national highway communication and information network. This will establish a multi‑network‑integrated transportation information and communication network, delivering wide‑area coverage, low latency, high reliability, and high‑bandwidth network services.

Promote the full opening and sharing of diverse information—covering transportation, tourism, and more—and foster integrated development. Encourage platform-based enterprises to deepen the fusion of multi-source data, seamlessly integrating online and offline resources, and facilitate open access for various passenger ticketing systems, thereby creating digital travel assistants that deliver end-to-end, door-to-door customized mobility services. Advocate the “Mobility as a Service (MaaS)” paradigm, leveraging data to connect travel demand with service offerings, turning mobility into an on-demand, real-time service and making travel simpler. Build “intelligent mobile spaces” where passenger travel intersects with official business, shopping, consumption, and leisure, delivering a wholly new travel experience. Advance the development of convenient “Internet Plus” transportation, encouraging and regulating emerging urban mobility services such as on-demand bus services, smart parking, intelligent public transit, vehicle maintenance, online‑booked taxis, internet‑based bike‑sharing, and time‑shared rental of small and micro‑vans.

Vigorously develop new models and business formats of “Internet Plus” efficient logistics, accelerate the digitalization of the entire logistics process, promote the electronic transformation and mutual recognition of freight documents across rail, road, and waterway networks, and provide end-to-end, monitorable, and traceable one-stop logistics services. Encourage enterprises of all types to expedite the differentiated development of logistics information platforms, advance full-chain information sharing for urban logistics and last-mile delivery, and enhance the rural logistics last-mile information network. Leveraging various information platforms, strengthen mutual recognition of logistics‑related management information among government departments, and establish a mechanism for the open sharing of comprehensive transportation and logistics data resources.

Enhance the national integrated transportation information platform, elevating the application of big data across key domains such as decision support, safety and emergency response, command and dispatch, regulatory enforcement, government services, and energy conservation and environmental protection, thereby achieving precise analysis, targeted control, refined management, and high‑quality service. Improve the resource catalog and information resource management system to facilitate the aggregation and integration of industry‑wide information resources, strengthening capabilities for information sharing, exchange, and open access. Establish a big‑data‑driven decision‑making and planning framework, promote multi‑source data fusion among departments and between government and enterprises, and elevate the sophistication of transportation policy analysis. Adopt data‑driven, panoramic visualization approaches to bolster capabilities in comprehensive transportation operations monitoring and early warning, public opinion tracking, safety risk assessment and judgment, dispatch and command, and online monitoring of energy conservation and environmental protection. Further advance “Internet Plus Government Services” in the transportation sector, ensuring that the same administrative matters are handled under uniform standards and with consistent coding. Extend the online service delivery chain and expand government services to platforms such as WeChat, Weibo, and mobile apps. Accelerate the refinement of administrative information systems for transport administration, road administration, maritime affairs, and other areas; push forward the development of integrated law‑enforcement and overloading‑control networking systems; upgrade the intelligence level of enforcement equipment; and promote online identification and remote, non‑on‑site enforcement.

Focus on the critical links and core technologies in the digitalization of infrastructure and transport vehicles, and encourage leading enterprises to integrate resources across electronics, software, communications, satellite technology, equipment manufacturing, and information services, thereby establishing a collaborative innovation ecosystem characterized by strong partnerships, complementary strengths, and efficient adaptation. Strengthen the development of comprehensive capabilities in testing, inspection, and certification, and facilitate the commercialization of new technological advances. Accelerate the industrial application of technologies such as the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, satellite communications, and high-resolution Earth observation. Encourage the establishment of collaborative innovation industry alliances, actively carry out demonstration projects for industrial-scale deployment, foster cooperation among diverse stakeholders, and build an internationally competitive industrial ecosystem.

Implement the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China and national requirements on data security; fulfill the cybersecurity responsibilities of transportation management authorities at all levels and relevant institutions; improve working mechanisms for information reporting, monitoring and early warning, emergency response, and contingency plan management; and establish an expert pool. Put into practice the cybersecurity classification protection system to ensure that security safeguards at all levels comply with applicable standards. Strengthen the integrated development of cybersecurity measures and information systems to enhance the cybersecurity resilience of critical information infrastructure and key information systems in the transportation sector. Promote the application of domestically developed cryptographic algorithms in vital information systems and the localization of essential software and hardware. Enhance end-to-end lifecycle management of transportation data to safeguard state secrets, commercial secrets, and personal privacy. Refine industry‑specific cybersecurity standards to keep pace with advances in new technologies.

Accelerate the refinement of engineering standards for transportation infrastructure tailored to digital‑transport applications, and promote the coordinated planning, design, construction, and operation & maintenance of information and transportation infrastructures. In accordance with the transportation informatization standards framework, continuously enhance relevant standards. Expedite the development of national and industry‑level standards for automated driving, and refine standards covering manufacturing, testing and evaluation, cybersecurity, data sharing, and operational use. Foster a collaborative mechanism for the coordinated development of digital‑transport standards across industries, sectors, and government departments; leverage the role of enterprises in standards research; and actively engage in the coordination, exchange, and cooperation surrounding the formulation and revision of international standards.

Explore industry regulatory models that foster innovation in digital transportation, and work to refine the relevant legal and regulatory framework. On the premise of standardized and secure development, create a policy environment conducive to innovation. Actively promote the integrated application of data resources among enterprises and between government and enterprises, encourage market players to deliver a diverse array of digital transportation services, stimulate innovative vitality and unlock latent value, and deliver an enhanced service experience.

Leverage the guiding role of central government fiscal funds, increase support for innovation pilot projects, strengthen process‑oriented guidance, and enhance performance evaluation. Transportation authorities at all levels should actively seek funding from public budgets and special allocations to advance digital transportation initiatives, and explore public–private partnership models.  

Adhering to a pilot‑first approach to drive comprehensive development, we will launch region‑specific integrated digital‑transportation pilot projects aligned with major national regional development strategies, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the coordinated development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt, the development of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. We will also conduct systematic research on supporting policies for digital‑transportation development. On the premise of safeguarding national security and upholding national interests, we will facilitate cross‑border flows of resources and integrate investment, talent, and technology.  

Establish a cross-sectoral, multi-tiered talent development system to enhance the industry’s digital mindset and application capabilities. Build a multi-level expert pool, leverage the intellectual support of high-end think tanks, academic institutions, and other organizations, and encourage the creation of platforms that connect industry, academia, research, and finance.