China accelerates legislation on AI and blockchain

China’s State Council released its 2026 Legislative Work Plan on May 11-12, laying out a roadmap for governing the country’s rapidly expanding AI sector. The plan calls for accelerated work on AI governance across data rules, algorithms, computing power, intellectual property protections, cybersecurity, and supply chain security. A dedicated AI law had appeared in previous Chinese legislative agendas but was deprioritized in 2025. The 2026 plan doubles down on that decision, favoring targeted pilot projects and sector-specific regulations over a single sweeping framework. Among the specific regulatory actions expected this year: new rules covering AI ethics, AI agents, and anthropomorphic interaction services. Those measures are slated to take effect between April and July. While AI governance is getting the spotlight treatment, blockchain legislation tells a quieter story. The 2026 plan does not introduce any new blockchain-specific laws or mandates. Instead, the regulatory environment continues to be shaped by existing frameworks, most notably the 2019 Cryptography Law. During parliamentary sessions in March 2026, lawmakers discussed a domestically developed blockchain accelerati...