AI laws and regulation in China

Medium.

There is currently no dedicated AI law in force in China.

China does not yet have a standalone, comprehensive AI statute. The relevant laws and regulations that govern AI-related activities are:

• Cybersecurity Law: establishes a legislative orientation that emphasizes balancing the development and security of artificial intelligence.
• Interim Measures for the Management of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services: establishes a regulatory framework to govern and supervise generative AI services.
• Administrative Provisions on Deep Synthesis in Internet-based Information Services: elaborates obligations especially for deep synthesis technology.
• Administrative Provisions on Recommendation Algorithms in Internet-based Information Services: requires algorithms to be properly guided, transparent, secure and controllable to effectively prevent risks and hidden dangers arising from algorithmic abuse.
• Measures for Labeling AI-Generated and Synthesized Content: clarifies the obligations of relevant service providers regarding the labeling of AI-generated content.
• GB 45438—2025 Cybersecurity Technology – Methods for Marking AI-Generated Content: provides practical guidance for AI label compliance.
• GB/T 45674—2025 Cybersecurity Technology – Generative artificial intelligence data annotation security specification: strengthens the security management of generative AI data annotation activities and implement effective measures to prevent and address related risks.
• GB/T 45654—2025 Cybersecurity Technology – Basic security requirements for generative artificial intelligence service: specifies requirements for generative AI services regarding training data security, model security and security measures.
• GB/T 45652—2025 Cybersecurity Technology – Security specification for generative artificial intelligence pre-training and fine-tuning data: enhances the security requirements for pre-training and optimization training data.

Chinese current legislation does not list the sectors that govern AI-related activities. To determine the related sectors, a general principle may be applied according to the Measures for the Ethical Governance of Artificial Intelligence Technologies (Trial Version): the sectors involved in AI-related scientific research and technological development activities that may pose ethical risks and challenges concerning human health, human dignity, ecological environment, public order and sustainable development. Especially the activities involving:

• The development of human-AI integrated systems that significantly influence human subjective behavior, psychological and emotional states, life or health.
• The development of algorithmic models, applications, and systems that possess the capacity for public mobilization and social consciousness guidance.
• The development of highly autonomous automated decision-making systems intended for deployment in scenarios involving safety risks or threats to personal health.

In China, multiple regulatory bodies share responsibility for overseeing AI, but the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”) is the primary and lead authority for regulating AI.

• CAC: leads rulemaking and enforcement for AI and coordinates with other departments on AI governance.
• Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: focuses on AI industry development, technical standards establishment and industrial applications.
• Ministry of Science and Technology: oversees national AI ethical guidelines.
• State Administration for Market Regulation: handles national standardization related to AI products.
• National competent authorities in charge of education, public security, radio and television, press and publication, etc.: be responsible for relevant supervisory and management work according to their respective duties.

Activity Level of the CAC:

• Enforcement:
  The CAC demonstrates active enforcement and organizes special enforcement campaigns to combat AI misuse.
• Guidance:
  The CAC issues press Q&As, compliance clarifications and updates the list of registered and recorded generative artificial intelligence services.
• Policy Development:
  The CAC continues to develop detailed regulations in collaboration with other departments.

Yes, please see below the main relevant documents:

• New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan: This is the first AI-specific strategic plan, promulgated on 8 July 2017. It sets the overarching strategic objective to position China as a global leader in AI by 2030 and outlines six key tasks, including developing the intelligent economy and building intelligent infrastructure.
• Guidelines for Establishing a National New Generation Artificial Intelligence Standard System: Issued on 27 July 2020, these Guidelines outline the national AI standards structure to be developed and implemented, signalling the Chinese Mainland’s strategic governance approach to AI.
• Opinions of the State Council on Deepening the Implementation of the "Artificial Intelligence+" Initiative: Promulgated on 21 August 2025, these Opinions set interim objectives for integrating AI with six key areas, including technology, sectoral development, consumption quality improvement, people’s livelihoods and well-being, governance capacity, and global cooperation. The Opinions aim to deepen the integration of AI across sectors, which accelerate the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries while pioneering new pathways for strategic emerging industries and future development.

In addition to the above, which applies to all sectors nationwide, the authorities responsible for energy, transportation, healthcare, etc. have issued policies to further integrate AI technology within their respective sectors, detailing the strategic development and use of AI in Chinese Mainland.

Chinese legislation does not directly reference international AI standards or guidelines; however, the principles and spirit of the legislation echo those of international AI regulatory frameworks. For example, the Provisional Measures for the Administration of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services provide that providers and users of generative AI shall:

• take effective measures to prevent discrimination on the grounds of nationality, religion, country or region, gender, occupation, health, etc., during algorithm design, training data selection, model generation and optimisation, service provision, and related processes;
• respect the legitimate rights and interests of others, refraining from endangering their physical or mental health and from infringing their rights to portrait, reputation, honour, privacy, or personal information; and
• take effective measures, in light of the characteristics of different types of services, to enhance the transparency of generative AI services.

These examples basically align with several OECD AI Principles, including inclusive growth, respect for human rights and democratic values, and transparency. Similar echoes can also be identified in the PRC Cybersecurity Laws, the Measures for Labelling AI-Generated or Composed Content, and other laws and regulations applicable to AI.

In addition, China has directly adopted a series of international standards within the national standards applicable to AI, including:

• ISO/IEC 23053:2022 Framework for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Systems Using Machine Learning (ML) (referenced the in recommendatory national standard GB/T 41867-2022 Information technology—Artificial intelligence—Terminology)
• ISO/IEC 42001:2023 Information Technology— Artificial intelligence—Management system, IDT (referenced in the recommendatory national standard GB/T 45081-2024 Artificial intelligence—Management system)
• ISO/IEC 23894: 2023 Information technology—Artificial intelligence—Guidance on risk management (referenced in the recommendatory national standard GB/T 46347-2025 Artificial intelligence—Risk management capability assessment)

Although the national standards referencing international standards are recommendatory in nature and do not, in principle, impose mandatory obligations on entities, the standards formulated by the authorities indicate regulatory trends and commonly serve as significant references for enterprises’ and organisations’ compliance with AI regulation.

Furthermore, China is playing an active role in fostering unified international standards and practices relating to AI regulation. China called for the development of international consensus on AI governance frameworks and standards in the Global AI Governance Initiative issued in 2023, and it has continued to promote international cooperation on AI governance

The 2023 Legislative Work Plan of the State Council stated that preparations were underway to submit the draft Artificial Intelligence Law to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, i.e. the Chinese legislature, for deliberation.

The 2024 and 2025 legislative agendas of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress explicitly include legislative projects concerning the healthy development of artificial intelligence among their preliminary review items.

However, no official draft legislation was released until December 2025, and the timeline remains unclear.

• CMS Artificial Intelligence: https://cms.law/en/int/insight/artificial-intelligence
• AI Safety Governance Framework 2.0 (Bilingual): https://www.cac.gov.cn/2025-09/15/c_1759653448369123.htm