China's IT Ministry Makes Blockchain, Data Security Focus of One of Its Key Labs for 2018

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has included a blockchain-dedicated laboratory on the list of its key labs for 2018, published August 13.

According to the ministry's post, the lab will be dedicated to harnessing blockchain for the data security industry and IT, and will be overseen by the National Industrial Information Security Development Research Center.

Earlier this month, MIIT proposed a number of measures to accelerate blockchain adoption, saying it would enhance interaction with various localities and departments, and would build a robust industrial ecosystem to allow for the gradual extension of blockchain across diverse fields.

In July, Cointelegraph reported on significant remarks from the MIIT's deputy director, who called on the country to "Unite" its forces to foster blockchain as a "Core" technology on an "Industrial scale." The minister emphasized security when speaking of blockchain's power to prevent "Information tampering and forgery," and said that its potential should be grasped "From a strategic perspective."

While official Chinese government policy remains notoriously tough on decentralized cryptocurrencies, blockchain tech has been making inroads at the very highest levels of the political structure.

This spring, Chinese president Xi Jinping openly praised blockchain as an example of a "New generation" of technologies delivering "Breakthroughs."