China Implements Blockchain Tech for Citizen Identity Verification

• Blockchain Technology to Validate Identities of China's Population
• RealDID: China's Blockchain Initiative
• RealDID & China's Top Social Media Platforms
• BSN China: The Collaborative Effort
• US Legislation and China's Blockchain Initiatives
• US-China Cooperation on Counternarcotics

Blockchain Technology to Validate Identities of China's Population

Blockchain technology is poised to verify the real-name identities of China's entirety of 1.4 billion residents. This groundbreaking application is projected to spring from the Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN), China's national blockchain project. However, this move is expected to provoke concerns among advocates for data privacy.

RealDID: China's Blockchain Initiative

The initiative, known as RealDID, has its roots in the China's Ministry of Public Security, and has been developed in collaboration with BSN. The launch of RealDID will provide users a platform to register and access websites anonymously using DID addresses and private keys. This ensures that the business data and transactions are kept separate from personal information.

RealDID & China's Top Social Media Platforms

China's six leading social media platforms, which include WeChat, Sina Weibo, Douyin, Kuaishou, Bilibili, and Xiaohongshu require content creators with over 500,000 or 1 million followers to publicly disclose their real names or their financial backers. The decision to enhance credibility and facilitate public supervision was reported by state media in October.

According to a statement by BSN, this system, which upholds real-name decentralized identity at a national level, is the first of its kind in the world.

BSN China: The Collaborative Effort

BSN China operates under the administration of China's National Information Center and cooperates with China's tech giants such as China Mobile and China UnionPay. BSN Global, a separate entity with its own security measures, independently manages its international operations.

US Legislation and China's Blockchain Initiatives

A bipartisan bill from the U.S has been reported to be in progress. This bill would prohibit federal government officials from utilizing China-developed blockchains and making transactions with companies similar to Tether$1.000 -0.12%'s parent, iFinex. Aiming to circumvent possible national security threats and secure private data from being accessed by foreign opponents.

US-China Cooperation on Counternarcotics

The US has recently removed China's Institute of Forensic Science, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security, from a trade sanctions list. This action was taken in an attempt to enhance the cooperation against drug trafficking, regardless of concerns over China's human rights practices. The move primarily aims to tackle the influx of fentanyl and related substances into the U.S.

Subsequently, China issued a warning to its chemical manufacturers against the production of precursors to fentanyl. According to a recent announcement by China's National Narcotics Control Commission, individuals involved in the production of chemicals used to manufacture the opioid might face the long-arm jurisdiction of foreign law enforcement agencies.

Edited by Jonathan Stoker