Before China introduced its three major data laws, it governed data privacy using civil law, sector-specific regulations and cybersecurity rules. Since the launch of its first data-specific law in 2017, China has issued and revised numerous data privacy rules, including personal information protection, industry-specific regulations and laws governing outbound data transfers. This growing field reflects China’s priorities in data security, which is a by-product of China’s internal governmental stance and its relationships with the rest of the world.