China Plans National Electronic Health Code System by 2025

China has announced plans to build a nationwide, interconnected health information platform by 2025 that will assign every resident a dynamic electronic health record and a fully functional electronic health code, extending beyond the current COVID-19 QR codes. The plan, released jointly by the National Health Commission and other health agencies, is part of the government’s “14th Five-Year Plan” to digitize national health information and link personal medical records across hospitals and regions.

While official sources describe the system as meant to improve health services and disease monitoring, critics fear it could deepen state surveillance and expand digital controls over the population.