China: Cyberspace Administration of China closes consultation on draft technical requirements for electronic product information erasure

On 13 September 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China opened a consultation on the draft Technical Requirements for Electronic Product Information Erasure. The standard outlines technical and operational requirements for securely erasing user data from electronic products, including devices with magnetic or semiconductor storage. They apply to manufacturers and recyclers, covering design, recycling, and verification processes, with user data defined as personal information, files, apps, and system settings, excluding cloud backups or pre-installed data. Manufacturers must provide a one-touch erasure function, with overwrite requirements varying by device type, while recyclers must confirm erasure through checks such as storage removal, overwrite verification, or destruction, maintaining records for at least six months. Verification methods include sampling products, testing traceability codes, and checking for residual data, ensuring compliance without unauthorised data retention or export of unverified devices. The standards are designed to ensure that data cannot be recovered through overwriting, command cleaning, or physical destruction.