BEIJING -- China's national platform for public data resource registration was put into service on Saturday, according to the National Data Administration (NDA).

The platform, accessible at https://sjdj.nda.gov.cn, has officially opened for registration, marking a significant step forward in the market-oriented reform of data resource allocation.

On the first day of registration, the national platform introduced a range of national public data categories, including medical insurance, meteorology, and natural resources.

Several provincial-level platforms for public data resource registration were also launched on the same day and successfully integrated with the national platform.

Chen Ronghui, deputy head of the NDA, said at a press conference on Feb 18 that the platform will allow data providers to publish information about data resources and products, while enabling users to search for data.

A key focus for this year's data-related initiatives is to enhance the role of data in reducing corporate costs, fostering new quality productive forces and driving high-quality development.

China introduced a set of guidelines last year to accelerate the development and utilization of public data resources.

By 2025, it expects to achieve substantial progress in developing and utilizing public data resources across key industries and regions. By 2030, public data is anticipated to play an important role in empowering the real economy, expanding consumer demand, and improving governance capacity, according to the guidelines.

The transaction volume of China's data market is estimated to have topped 160 billion yuan (about $22.3 billion) in 2024, marking a year-on-year increase of more than 30 percent, official data showed.