China’s first officially authorized data-asset assessment center was launched on March 3 in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, as the local government scrambles to develop big data industries to spur innovative economic growth.

The center provides verification and evaluation of data assets, helping to explore the value of data resources and in turn driving the use and exchange of big data.

The move came as China called for intensified efforts to develop big data and further promote the integration of big data with the real economy to spur long-term growth of the country.

Inner Mongolia autonomous region was labeled as one of the country’s big data development zones in 2016 and has attracted an array of tech giants, including Baidu and JD.

“The establishment of the new center will fill in the gaps of data asset assessment in Inner Mongolia autonomous region and will play an important role in regional economic development,” said Feng Yuzhen, acting mayor of Hohhot.

“Hohhot is endowed with some natural advantages in developing industries related to big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence,” he noted.

According to Feng, the low temperature of Hohhot — which averages 6.8 C annually — saves costs in cooling systems for data centers, and Hohhot’s steady geological structure is also beneficial to the stable operation of data centers.

In 2017, the output value of Hohhot’s big data and its related industries have exceeded 141.6 billion yuan ($22.4 billion), contributing 14 percent to the city’s total economy.

The newly established center will be operated by Horinger New Area, an economic transformation area in Hohhot where big data industries are top development priorities, and Youedata, a leading big data company in the field.

“Both the market and related industries have posed great demands on data asset assessment as assessing is the key to evaluating the value of data. Establishing such a center is crucial in building the big data ecosystem,” said Wang Yasong, CEO of Youedata.

The Beijing-based company, with support of the National Information Center, is responsible for the operation of several State-owned big data centers, including one in Guizhou province.

Wang added that Youedata will also help to build a standard data asset assessment system and an alliance in hopes of building a neutral and well-rounded big data ecosystem.