China To Require Electronic ID Cards
China is set to replace its current citizen identification card system with a new electronic version, which will store all the personal information of its 960 million eligible citizens on chips that can be accessed by authorities at any time. China's top legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, passed the National Citizen ID Law, approving the cards, this past June. The cards are to be tested early next year, first in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Huzhou, a city in Zhejiang Province.The government hopes the new system will help streamline operations and eliminate fraud associated with the current system, but it will also put a vast amount of personal data at the fingertips of government.
China Readies Super ID Card, a Worry to Some New York Times, August 19, 2003
