From May 27 to 29, the 24th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 16th Beijing Municipal People's Congress was held. At the meeting, the Beijing Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation Regulations (Draft) (hereinafter referred to as the "Draft Regulations") was submitted for deliberation. The draft consists of 8 chapters and 66 articles, and intends to replace the Beijing Surveying and Mapping Regulations enacted in 2003 through an "abolish the old and establish the new" approach.
Why enact a new law?
The current Beijing Surveying and Mapping Regulations were promulgated and took effect in 2003. At that time, the mobile internet had not yet become widespread, and concepts such as high-precision positioning, internet maps, autonomous driving maps, and 3D real scene had not entered the scope of daily regulatory oversight. With the rapid development of the digital economy and artificial intelligence, surveying, mapping and geoinformation have become vital strategic data resources and new-type production factors for the country.
The Urban Construction and Environmental Protection Office of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, in its legislative work report, outlined the legislative direction: promoting scientific and technological innovation in the industry, standardizing the construction of new-type surveying and mapping infrastructure, strictly managing surveying and mapping results, and promoting the secure and efficient use of geographic information data, so as to serve the capital's high-quality development, refined governance and high-level security.
What changes should GIS professionals watch?
1. Autonomous driving maps: a fast-track review mechanism is expected
This is one of the most discussed highlights in public opinion. The draft proposes establishing a fast-track review mechanism for new-type maps such as autonomous driving maps to meet the needs of emerging industries; it also encourages the use of new technologies like artificial intelligence, big data, and high-precision positioning to enrich digital and convenient application scenarios for the public.
2. Navigation positioning and datum services: sub-meter capability written into the institutional context
In terms of navigation and positioning, the draft proposes the coordinated planning and layout of satellite navigation and positioning reference stations citywide, and the provision of public services for navigation and positioning reference information. Reports cited that the city's reference stations have already achieved sub-meter level positioning services, supporting lane-level navigation, in-tunnel positioning, as well as applications like designated parking and fenced settlement for shared bikes.
3. Public version results and "One Map": from government-internal use to socialized services
The draft requires the planning and natural resources department to compile multi-scale and multi-type public versions of surveying, mapping and geoinformation results, providing richer and more convenient geographic information services for citizens' travel and daily life.
4. Smart city spatiotemporal foundation and circulation of data elements
Closely addressing the needs of Beijing's digital economy development, the draft proposes building a spatiotemporal foundation for the smart city, advancing the construction of intelligent surveying, mapping and geoinformation technology systems, and strengthening integration with next-generation information technology; it also aims to establish a municipal big data platform based on the smart city spatiotemporal base map.
5. Security and record-filing: not a blanket deregulation
Security and confidentiality requirements are stipulated for internet maps, satellite navigation and positioning reference stations, autonomous driving maps, etc.; security-related activities such as navigation electronic map data collection and aerial photogrammetry must be filed before implementation; the construction of satellite navigation and positioning reference stations shall also be subject to record-filing management in accordance with relevant national standards. Classified results are subject to whole-process confidentiality management from acquisition, possession, provision and utilization to destruction; and legal liability is set for seven types of illegal acts, including failure to carry out follow-up surveying of underground pipelines, illegally contracting out surveying and mapping projects, and failure to file specific activities.
Therefore, "deregulation" should be more accurately understood as: new business forms now have a rule-based pathway, rather than the confidentiality red line being moved backward.
What issues still need improvement?
The deliberation opinions hold that the draft still has room for improvement: in application services, it needs to further reflect modern technological means such as artificial intelligence and highlight the principal role of enterprise innovation; in the security management system, it is suggested to supplement confidentiality education and training as well as navigation and positioning security prevention and control; norms for specific activities need to be better aligned with the Bidding Law, the Civil Code and departmental rules, and the operability of clauses on surveying and mapping project subcontracting, reference station filing, emergency surveying and mapping, underground pipeline surveying, and "multiple surveys in one" integration should be refined.
Summary
For GIS practitioners, this legislation is not simply about stricter control or broader liberalization, but about writing application services, data circulation and innovative scenarios into the institutional framework while maintaining the security bottom line. There are now clearer rule-based pathways for fast-track review of autonomous driving maps, expansion of citizen-friendly scenarios, and spatiotemporal data element circulation.
P.S. The draft is still at the deliberation stage, and the final provisions are subject to the officially released version. Which article of the draft are you most interested in? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.