The National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation Answers Questions on the “Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Promoting the Development of the Geographic Information Industry”

Recently, the General Office of the State Council issued the “Opinions on Promoting the Development of the Geographic Information Industry” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”). An official from the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation addressed key questions, including the significance of issuing the document, its overarching objectives, and the policy measures designed to ensure its implementation.

  1 According to available information, in recent years, China’s geographic information industry has maintained an average annual growth rate exceeding 25 %. Faced with an industry that is developing so rapidly, why has the state issued the “Opinions,” and what is their significance?

A: Since the launch of reform and opening-up, China’s surveying, mapping, and geographic information sector has experienced rapid development. In particular, with the establishment and continuous improvement of the market economy, public‑service‑oriented surveying and mapping—centered on basic surveying and mapping—has been further strengthened, while the geographic information industry, driven by the development and utilization of geographic information resources, is expanding at a fast pace. At present, China’s geographic information industry has begun to take shape, but it remains largely in its infancy. Prominent challenges persist, including a relatively small industry scale, weak enterprise competitiveness, a shortage of core, cutting‑edge technologies, low levels of domestic self‑sufficiency in high‑end instrumentation, insufficient exploitation and application of geographic information, and inadequate security oversight. Meanwhile, as China’s economy and society have grown rapidly and living standards have steadily improved, demand for geographic information services across all sectors has surged, creating an urgent need to accelerate the development of the geographic information industry and diversify its product offerings. In addition, developed countries attach great importance to the growth of the geographic information industry, leading to swift international expansion and intensifying global competition in this field. Consequently, there is a pressing need for the state to introduce relevant policies and measures to provide support and guidance.

The issuance of the “Opinions” fully demonstrates the high regard and strong support that the CPC Central Committee and the State Council accord to the development of the geographic information industry, representing a major decision made by the Party and the state to advance this sector. The promulgation of the “Opinions” will help align public understanding across society, rally forces both within and outside the industry, improve the development environment at home and abroad, and accelerate the formation of synergies for the industry’s growth. It will also facilitate the resolution of key challenges hindering the industry’s development, enhance the competitiveness of domestic geographic information enterprises, expand the industry’s scale, elevate its quality, and effectively address the pressures and challenges posed by foreign counterparts. Moreover, it will enrich geographic information resources, meet the growing public demand for such data, and enable geographic information to better serve economic and social development.

  2. The “Opinions” clearly define the geographic information industry—how should this be understood?

Answer: The “Opinions” begin by defining the geographic information industry and explicitly identifying it as a strategic emerging industry. This definition conveys several key points: First, it underscores the industry’s technological foundation—namely, modern surveying and mapping technologies, along with geographic information systems, remote sensing, and satellite navigation and positioning—thereby broadly delineating the industry’s scope. Second, it highlights the industry’s core focus: all activities in the geographic information sector revolve around the development and utilization of geographic information, encompassing related hardware manufacturing, software development, and other associated endeavors. Third, it specifies the industry’s value‑chain components: geographic information acquisition constitutes the upstream segment, processing forms the midstream, and applications comprise the downstream. Fourth, it establishes the industry’s character as a high‑tech sector.

   3. How should we interpret the development goals for China’s geographic information industry as set forth in the “Opinions”?

Answer: Based on forecasts for the development of the geographic information industry and an assessment of its actual performance in recent years, the “Opinions” set forth future development goals. These goals can be summarized as one main thread and four major objectives. The “one main thread” refers to establishing a mature industrial chain centered on the acquisition, processing, and application of geographic information. This constitutes the fundamental pathway and essential guarantee for expanding and strengthening the geographic information industry. Geographic information acquisition occupies the upstream segment of the industry chain; at present, China remains relatively weak in rapidly acquiring remote-sensing data. Geographic information processing lies in the midstream, primarily encompassing the processing and analysis of surveying and mapping data and remote-sensing data, as well as the development of supporting service platforms. Geographic information application resides in the downstream segment, representing a key area for industrial growth and one with the greatest potential. The “four major objectives” are to use… 5-10 Over the course of a year, in terms of market entities, several leading enterprises and a cohort of dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises will be established; in terms of market order, regulation will be effective and competition will be orderly; in addressing weak links, China’s capacity for geographic information acquisition will be significantly enhanced, its scientific and technological innovation capabilities will continue to strengthen, and its international competitiveness will be markedly improved; and in key areas, geographic information products will become more diverse and their applications will be more widespread.

  4 . What considerations underlie the identification of key areas for the development of the geospatial information industry in the “Opinions”?

Answer: The “Opinions” identify five priority areas for the development of the geospatial information industry, based on three key considerations: First, in light of the current weak links in China’s geospatial information sector, it calls for enhancing remote-sensing data acquisition and processing capabilities, revitalizing the manufacturing of geospatial information equipment, and breaking through bottlenecks in the upstream segments of the industry. Second, focusing on core technologies driving industry growth, it advocates raising the level of R&D and industrialization of geospatial information software, vigorously developing integrated services that combine geospatial information with navigation and positioning, strengthening location‑based service capacities, and fostering new drivers of economic growth. Third, addressing critical stages in the industry’s development, and from the perspectives of government decision‑making, enterprise operations, and everyday life, it seeks to promote deeper applications of geospatial information, robustly invigorate the map market, develop the geospatial information‑related cultural and creative industries, and cultivate a mass‑market for geospatial information consumption.

  5 . What specific measures does the “Opinion” propose to promote the development of the geographic information industry?

Answer: The “Opinions” set forth safeguard measures to promote the development of the geographic information industry from four perspectives: First, formulate a development plan for the geographic information industry, outlining its goals, directions, and priorities. At the same time, establish a statistical indicator system for the sector, standardize market order, strengthen oversight of geographic information security, optimize the industrial environment, and support enterprises in growing stronger and larger. Second, refine fiscal, tax, and financial support policies by increasing government funding within existing channels, encouraging government departments to outsource geographic information services, implementing relevant tax incentives, and expanding both direct and indirect financing to bolster the industry’s long-term growth momentum. Third, improve the institutional framework for supporting the industry’s development by enacting and refining complementary policies and measures, enhancing inter‑agency coordination and providing targeted guidance, reinforcing foundational geographic information infrastructure, promoting open access and data sharing, and preventing redundant construction and resource waste. Fourth, strengthen scientific and technological innovation and international cooperation by cultivating high‑level, innovative talent and research teams in core technologies, concentrating resources on breakthroughs in key, cross‑cutting technologies that underpin industrial development, actively introducing, assimilating, and adapting advanced foreign surveying and mapping and geographic information technologies, and vigorously implementing an “going global” strategy.

   6 Geographic information is related to national security. How does the “Opinion” address the relationship between the development of the geographic information industry and national security and confidentiality?

Answer: The “Opinions” state that geographic information is an important strategic information resource, closely linked to national sovereignty, security, and interests, and plays a vital role in safeguarding national security across political, economic, military, scientific, technological, and other non‑traditional domains. Accordingly, the development of the geographic information industry must proceed under the premise of ensuring national geographic information security. The “Opinions” put forward the principle of “combining standardized regulation with broad application,” calling for strengthened security oversight. While upholding national security, they urge the proactive advancement of public service platforms for geographic information to promote its efficient and widespread utilization. At the same time, the document sets forth requirements for categorized guidance: for sectors of strategic importance or those related to national security, priority should be given to state investment, with a sound legal and regulatory framework established to appropriately balance the confidentiality and openness of geographic information; for key areas characterized by a high degree of marketization, social investment should take the lead, supplemented by government policies and financial support through various mechanisms; and for socially provided geographic information services, enterprises should assume the primary role, with the government offering appropriate guidance and support, while basic geographic information is made available free of charge or at low cost. Furthermore, the “Opinions” emphasize the need to strengthen capacity-building in geographic information security oversight, further elevating the level of confidentiality and security supervision over classified geographic information, and rigorously enforcing the law to crack down on illegal acquisition and processing of such information.

  7 According to reports, the redundant development of geographic information resources in China is currently quite serious. How does the “Opinion” promote the sharing of geographic information?

Answer: Due to inadequate channels for information flow and exchange, as well as insufficient coordination and collaboration among departments that hold geographic information resources, redundant development of such resources is quite common in China. Examples include the parallel establishment of geographic coordinate systems, the repeated procurement of satellite remote-sensing imagery, redundant aerial photography, and duplicated collection of basic geographic information data—incidents that occur with some frequency. Sharing geographic information resources is an objective necessity for preventing redundant investment, conserving public funds, and safeguarding national interests; it is also a key measure for accelerating the development of foundational geographic information infrastructure. To this end, the “Opinions” explicitly call for launching pilot projects on policies for sharing geographic information resources, establishing and improving mechanisms for joint construction and shared use among government agencies, clearly defining the scope, methods, and responsibilities of such collaboration, and coordinating the division of labor, updating, and sharing of geographic information. All these efforts aim to meet the practical needs of government departments while avoiding duplication and resource waste.

The Opinions also call for strengthening basic surveying and mapping and geographic condition monitoring, further enriching basic geographic information, and implementing a policy of free or low-cost access to such information, thereby creating favorable conditions for the sharing of geographic information resources. Source : National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation )