Five Things to Know About China’s Relaxed Draft Rules on Cross-Border Data Transfers

China is looking to relax its rules on cross-border data transfers, issuing draft provisions that experts say would essentially create “a whitelist” that exempts qualifying foreign companies from the stringent policies that have become a burden to some of those operating in China.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country’s top internet regulator, released the draft rules Thursday to clarify which kinds of data would no longer need to undergo a security review before being transferred abroad. The CAC is seeking public comments on the document until Oct. 15.