In 2020, Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui jointly issued the Specification for electronic certificate sharing and application, the first local standard in the field of government affairs in the Yangtze River Delta region.

The release and implementation of this standard have promoted the connectivity in government services, data and technological integration, accelerating the region’s coordinated and innovative development.

The standard stipulates the process, scope, interfaces, application scenarios, and other technical requirements for cross-provincial sharing of electronic certificates in the region. It ensures the secure and controllable cross-provincial sharing process, and the lawful and compliant use of electronic certificates, improving the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of certificate data.

For example, residents of Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui can use the regional government services apps to present electronic certificates instead of physical ones. Nine types of electronic certificates issued by administrative departments, which include driving licenses, vehicle registration certificates, and road transport operation licenses, are now recognized for cross-regional law enforcement in transportation and traffic management. In total, 40 frequently used electronic certificates have been recognized across the Yangtze River Delta region.

As of now, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui have accessed certificates from Shanghai for over 2.64 million times, while Shanghai has accessed certificates from the three provinces for more than 3.97 million times. The specification has significantly enhanced data circulation, and improved government service capabilities for residents and businesses.