China: Ministry of Commerce Notice on Several Policy Measures on Promoting Service Exports (Trade and Development No. 186 2025) entered into force

On 22 September 2025, the Ministry of Commerce and nine other departments in China issued a Notice on Several Policy Measures on Promoting Service Exports (Trade and Development No. 186 2025). The notice includes measures on facilitate and regulate cross-border data flows, including formulating important data catalogues and issuing operational guidelines for their identification. The Notice also prescribes the dynamic updating of negative lists for data outbound transfers in free trade zones, with plans to explore a negative list for a national pilot zone. The Notice further states that eligible regions should explore arrangements for internal personal information cross-border transfers for multinational companies that have undergone assessment or certification.