As data becomes the lifeblood of the digital age, the quest to move it securely and seamlessly across borders has emerged as one of the most defining challenges of our time. 

The World Data Organization (WDO), established in Beijing on March 30, aims to do more than bridge policy gaps – it seeks to build the very technical infrastructure of trust.

In a world still fragmented by divergent data regulations, technology may offer the most promising path forward, turning the vision of "data without borders, security without compromise" into a tangible reality.

To explore how, CGTN spoke with three experts whose work lies at the intersection of cryptography, distributed systems and data architecture.

"Without trust, data flows become flows of hidden risks." For Guo Jingyu, a senior engineer and recipient of the National Cryptographic Science and Technology Progress Award, the conversation about data must begin with a single non-negotiable premise: security.

"Data dividends cannot be realized without security," Guo said. "If the technological foundation is not credible, data flows become flows of hidden risks."

He sees cryptographic technologies – from commercial encryption to quantum-safe solutions – as the essential bridge between high-level principles and real-world implementation. 

"These are the tools that turn the promise of 'secure and orderly' flow from a policy commitment into engineering reality," he explained. "Technological innovation in data and intelligence is, at its core, paving the way for global data mutual trust."

Yu Jiaping, a lecturer at the Ocean University of China specializing in reliable distributed computing, blockchain security and decentralized digital identity (DID), views the WDO's launch as something far more significant than the creation of another international platform.

"As a young faculty member, I see the establishment of the World Data Organization not merely as the formation of a cooperation platform, but as a clear signal (that) data is moving from being a simple factor of production to a central issue in international public governance," Yu said.

He pointed to the core challenge articulated in the organization's founding vision: balancing development with security, openness with governance, and efficiency with equity. These are not just technical problems; they are questions of principle that will shape the digital economy for decades to come.

For Yu, universities have a vital role to play in this new landscape. "We must strengthen interdisciplinary research that brings together data science, artificial intelligence, law, and management to support national participation in global digital governance," he said. 

"At the same time, we need to cultivate talent equipped not only with technical skills but also with governance awareness and an international perspective. Only when innovation is translated into governance effectiveness can data dividends truly benefit people across the world more broadly and more fairly."

Security and development: Two sides of the same coin

Xiao Qinghai, CTO of Fisherman info, a senior system architect, and recipient of military and provincial-level science and technology progress awards, emphasizes that security and development cannot be treated as competing priorities. They are, in his view, inseparable.

"The core of digital economy development lies in using technological innovation as the driving force; ensuring data security and orderly flow while simultaneously improving the efficiency of data development and utilization to support healthy, stable global digital growth," Xiao said.

He describes this approach as one that "balances security and development, grounds itself in international cooperation, and aims to break down barriers and share achievements so that the value created by data can benefit people in all countries, achieving inclusive and win-win outcomes."

Xiao repeatedly returns to the idea of a foundation. "Only by building a secure foundation can we ensure that data effectively empowers industries and society, thereby maintaining the stable and healthy development of the global digital economy," he said.

"Ultimately, by giving equal weight to security and development, we can enable data dividends to truly benefit people in all countries, achieving the unity of openness, sharing, and risk prevention."

A future built on trust

The WDO's ambition is as much technical as it is political. Its success will depend not only on the willingness of nations to cooperate, but on the robustness of the technologies that underpin that cooperation, from cryptographic protocols that protect data in transit to blockchain systems that verify identity without central control and architectural frameworks that bring these elements together in real-world applications.

As Xiao put it, the goal is nothing less than ensuring that data – the defining resource of our era – fulfills its promise as a force for shared prosperity.