A new international body, the World Data Organization (WDO), was established in Beijing on March 30, state media Xinhua reported.

The organization is a non-governmental, non-profit group formed by institutions and individuals in the global data sector. It aims to "bridge the data divide, unlock data value and drive digital economic growth."

WDO will focus on promoting cooperation on data governance and exploring ways to enable secure, compliant and efficient data flows, providing support for global digital economic development, according to the report.