China tightens overseas access to research and government data

As China limits access to national databases and research papers, US and international analysts and researchers are having to find innovative ways to uncover accurate information on Chinese commercial policies as well as advanced scientific and technological research.

For analysts, researchers, and scholars of Chinese commercial policies as well as advanced science technology, finding accurate and reliable information and data has always been a challenge. However, that job has become much harder in recent months as the Chinese government cracks down on overseas access to some of its largest and most significant research databases, as has recently been reported in numerous publications^[1].

In March, for example, dozens of research universities and institutions in the US, Taiwan and Hong Kong received notice that access to the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the largest academic database in China, would be limited from 1 April 2023.

As the reports noted the move has “cut Georgetown University and the University of Notre Dame, to name but two of its 1,600 institutional users outside of mainland China, off from some of its database of statistical and academic publications” – moves which limit the rights to access material that can be used to support global research initiatives.

CNKI – China’s largest academic database

CNKI was established in 1999 and contains Chinese government reports, academic journals and papers published since 1915. The database holds significant amounts of personal data and data related to key industries such as national defense, industry, telecommunications, transportation, natural resources, health care and finance, as well as sensitive information on scientific and technology progress and trends.

Limiting access to the CNKI, however, represents a broader trend that started in September 2022, when CNKI's operator, Tongfang Knowledge Network Technology, took action in accordance with the "Measures of Data Cross-Border Transfer Assessment and relevant laws." The Measures of Data Cross-Border Transfer Assessment was issued in July 2022 and implemented on September 1, and stipulates that companies providing cross-border "important data" overseas need to declare and accept a data security assessment.

The regulations issued in September were aimed at enabling data transfer as part of trade agreements such as CPTPP [Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership]. The transfer process must be vetted by Chinese government mechanisms under the oversight of the Chinese Communist Party.

A growing trend of Chinese censorship

Since April 2023, access to the Chinese corporate database Qichacha has been limited to overseas researchers. Qichaha has historically been used by US government agencies to find information, particularly on China’s space capabilities and its corporate social credit system. Now users are forced to input a Chinese phone number for verification purposes, making it difficult for US researchers to gain reliable data.

Overseas users also report losing access to one of China’s top financial data databases provided by Wind Information, while corporate data aggregator Tianyancha’s website does not open unless the user’s IP address originates in mainland China.

As well as limiting access for the overseas business community to databases, Chinese authorities have also recently raided the offices of several international companies (see ‘China targets US companies’) and expanded its counter-espionage laws (see ‘China’s amended Counterespionage Law is creating an unpredictable risk environment for US companies’). These central government measures belie China’s stated position of welcoming foreign investment to help boost its economy following COVID-19 restrictions.

Overseas researchers and scholars look for workarounds

Western observers confirm that obtaining accurate information has always been a challenge for overseas researchers and analysts with many Chinese government agencies only publishing intermittently or disappearing altogether – akin to the ongoing battle between security solutions and hackers. The challenge is to find workarounds to gain access to reliable Chinese information and research.

Some researchers use virtual private networks (VPNs) to create Chinese IP addresses that allow them to browse restricted databases. Select Chinese ecommerce sites allow access to restricted data for a fee, which requires Chinese-language knowledge of how to navigate different website interfaces, which can be tricky.

There is also a presumption that overseas nationals in China can still access research papers and data if they visit Chinese research institutions and libraries physically on the ground. In actuality, however, on-the-ground research has become much more difficult since COVID-19.

Rigorous research methodology, however, is key – along with patience. Meticulous researchers are adept at finding relevant information and credible data. Although data on a similar topic may be collected differently in various research papers, a skillful researcher can find ways to make the data pertinent to your requirements.

At the same time, Chinese data is often used by researchers in publicly published papers, which allows Western observers to extract the source material. Unfortunately, the escalating geopolitical tensions between the US and China mean that this trend of blocking access to important information and limiting open knowledge-sharing is likely to be around for some time - and may get worse.

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^[1] E.g. https://thechinaproject.com/2023/07/06/cut-off-from-chinas-data-and-info-overseas-academics-analysts-get-crafty/