Supported by the Office for Personal Data Protection of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government and hosted by the Next Generation Internet International Research Institute of Macau University of Science and Technology, the "Seminar on Cross-border Data Flow Policies and Personal Information Protection Compliance Practices," organized by the Macao Digital Development Association, was successfully held in Macao on January 16. The seminar invited experts and scholars from Mainland and Macao universities and authoritative institutions to jointly discuss personal data protection and data security policies in Macao and the Mainland, share compliance practices for cross-border data flow, and promote data circulation in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and between the Bay Area and the global community. Tang Jiale, Vice President of Macau University of Science and Technology; Yang Chongwei, Director of the Office for Personal Data Protection of the Macau Special Administrative Region Government; and Liu Dong, Dean of the Next Generation Internet International Research Institute of Macau University of Science and Technology, attended and delivered speeches. Government leaders from the Macau Special Administrative Region Government and over a hundred representatives from industries such as banking, gaming, and telecommunications participated.

Figure: Seminar on Cross-border Data Flow Policies and Personal Information Protection Compliance Practices

In his opening remarks, Vice President Tang Jiale stated that to address cross-border data interoperability challenges arising from talent development, scientific research innovation, and academic exchange activities at Macau University of Science and Technology, the university has deployed an IPv6-based research network and the "Macau University of Science and Technology Cross-border Data Flow Management System for Scientific Research." The project obtained Mainland China’s first personal information protection certification certificate and a "Cross-border Transfer Permit for Personal Data" issued by the Macau Special Administrative Region Government’s Office for Personal Data Protection. It achieved the goal of cross-border scientific research data interconnection outlined in the Overall Development Plan for the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone to "conduct pilot projects for cross-border scientific research data management in the Greater Bay Area." He expressed hope that the university’s practices would inspire Macao’s cultural tourism, financial insurance, and other industries to jointly promote the development of Macao’s digital economy.

Director Yang Chongwei emphasized that the seminar’s discussions on the latest trends in cross-border personal information data flow between the Mainland and Macao hold significant importance for Macao’s data-intensive industries. He specifically highlighted the university’s cross-border research network project, which has taken a critical first step in achieving its goals. The project exemplifies the advantages of "one country, two systems," supports Macao’s deeper integration into national development, and serves as a commendable contribution to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Macao’s return to the motherland. Director Yang expressed confidence that further progress will be made this year based on the project’s success. He also stressed that security remains a fundamental requirement, noting the importance of understanding and adopting new infrastructure and technologies such as IPv6, data spaces, privacy computing, and blockchain to enhance safety in an era of rapid technological advancement.

Dean Liu Dong delivered a keynote speech titled "Supporting the Construction of Macao as an International Data Circulation Hub and Promoting Safe, Orderly Data Flow in the Greater Bay Area." He noted that China has entered a new phase of activating data value, with increasingly facilitated cross-border data flow rules. Macao, seizing opportunities in the digital economy, should leverage its strengths, platform advantages, international resources, and the Hengqin space to first achieve two-way data flow facilitation between Macao and the Mainland. The next step involves expanding cross-border data cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, the Belt and Road Initiative partners, and the EU. Dean Liu proposed three strategies for building Macao into an "international data hub" to empower high-quality digital economy development:

Establish "regulatory pathways" to lay institutional foundations for data circulation between "Hong Kong-Macao-Mainland," "Hong Kong-Macao," and "Hong Kong-Macao-International."

Build "data infrastructure pathways" to enhance connectivity and strengthen data infrastructure and processing capabilities in Hong Kong and Macao.

Fully utilize Hong Kong and Macao’s geographic and industrial strengths to align with the "Data Element ×" Action Plan and collaborate with the Greater Bay Area to pilot initiatives in scientific research, healthcare, cross-border finance, and other fields, ensuring data resources serve economic and social development.

Hong Yanqing, Member of the National Information Security Standardization Technical Committee, summarized personal data protection and cross-border transfer systems in Macao and the Mainland, analyzed compliance pathways for data export, and provided recommendations for capability building and cross-border compliance tool selection. Zhang Hanzhuo, Director of the Macao Digital Development Association, detailed the deployment of compliance management solutions, system construction, and technical capabilities in the university’s two-way cross-border data flow practices, which will support cross-border data flow in more sectors. Tong Panying, Data Governance Legal Researcher at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Innovation Center of the Next Generation Internet National Engineering Center, comprehensively analyzed key considerations in data compliance management and introduced the Greater Bay Area Data Protection and Cross-border Data Service Platform. The platform offers technical capabilities such as "cross-border data compliance," "APP compliance," "data transaction and circulation," "enterprise data compliance governance," and "compliance capability enhancement," alongside specialized services for facilitating cross-border data flow policies in the Greater Bay Area.

Participants unanimously agreed that Macao, with its favorable international environment and modern service industries, possesses unique advantages for digital economy development. Under current circumstances, integrating technological advancements with regulatory exploration and leveraging the collaborative strength of the Greater Bay Area will solidify Macao’s strengths and harness data as a new engine for economic growth.