China’s IT Ministry Considering Strategy for Advancing Blockchain Development

The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is reportedly considering ways to accelerate blockchain adoption, local news agency Xinhua reports Aug. 9.

According to the report, the MIIT has proposed a number of measures to speed up the promotion of blockchain applications in the country in a move to provide a “healthy and orderly development of the industry.” The ministry stated that the blockchain tech ecosystem is currently in its initial stage.

The MIIT intends to provide a gradual extension of blockchain applications from the financial sector to other industries, such as electronic deposit services, supply chain management, Internet of Things (IoT), and others.

The IT ministry plans to enhance interaction with various localities and departments, as well as build a solid industrial ecosystem by boosting the operating capacity of computing power and storage.

In May, the MIIT revealed that the blockchain industry in China has seen “exponential” growth  in 2017, citing Blockchain Industry White Paper’s findings that the number of blockchain-oriented businesses exceeded 450 in 2017.

Recently, the MIIT’s deputy director called on the country to “unite” in addressing blockchain promotion, saying that the country must now develop blockchain applications on an “industrial” scale to accelerate its adoption across all areas of the economy and society.

Earlier this year, the ministry revealed research which found that the average longevity of blockchain projects is 1.22 years. According to He Baohong of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), only 8% of blockchain projects ever launched are still alive.