China launches new big data blue book

China has released a big data blue book on digital development, according to Wednesday's Beijing Daily. The blue book, Report on the Innovative Development of China's Big Data No 4, focuses on digital innovation, economy, governance, services and security. It constructed a global digital competitiveness index system and evaluated the digital development of cities around the world. The blue book selected the 15 cities of New York, London, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney, Paris, Dubai, Tokyo, Chicago, Moscow, Toronto, Mexico City, Seoul and Cape Town. Beijing and Shanghai ranked fifth and eighth in digital competitiveness, while the two cities lead the digital economy competitiveness ranking.

Greater Bay Area to get $50.5b in funding

The China Development Bank will provide 360 billion yuan ($50.5 billion) of financing support to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2020 as authorities called for further efforts to promote the development of the area. The financing includes 290 billion yuan of loans, and a total of 110 billion yuan will be spent on technology innovation and strategic emerging industries, according to the CDB. Earlier this month, Chinese regulators issued a guideline calling for financial support for the development of the Great Bay Area. The guideline put forward 26 specific measures to promote the Great Bay Area's cross-border trade, facilitate investment and financing, expand the opening-up of the financial sector, promote the connectivity of financial markets and financial infrastructure, and boost innovation of financial services.

Xinhua