China improves regulations on personal information outbound transfer

BEIJING -- Chinese authorities have issued a set of regulations to improve management of the outbound transfer of personal information, in a move to promote efficient and safe cross-border flow of personal information.

The document was jointly issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China and the State Administration for Market Regulation.

These regulations require relevant entities to fulfill obligations, including notifying individuals, obtaining their separate consent and conducting a personal information protection assessment, before applying for certification to transfer personal information abroad.

It also specifies details such as the certification application process, certificate validity period, obligations of professional certification bodies and relevant supervision requirements.

The regulations will take effect on Jan 1, 2026.