China will replace paper national identification (ID) cards with electronic identity cards starting in 2004, according to wire agency Dow Jones.
The new digital ID card, which uses smart ID technology, will be carried by 960 million Chinese citizens. The embedded microchip in the plastic card stores an individual's personal information, which can be read and checked against databases kept by China's security authorities.
This massive transformation has proceeded largely under a veil of secrecy, with little public debate. China's government-run media has also remained silent on the issue, said the report.
Chinese officials say the new smart ID cards will stamp out counterfeit paper IDs, which are used in white-collar crime.
According to a Chinese industry executive, trial runs for the smart ID card will begin in 2004, and most Chinese citizens can expect to receive the new cards by 2005. As many as 800 million of the cards could be in use by 2006, according to the Dow Jones report.
Malaysia launched a smart ID card, MyKad, in April 2001. MyKad is government-issued all-in-one smartcard that performs a wide range of functions such as data processing, storage and file management. It stores citizen data, such as identity card numbers, passport information, driving licences and health information, in a single embedded 64K microchip. The card also promises secure access to applications such as automated teller machines (ATM) and government-related online services.
Elsewhere, countries such as the US, UK, and the Philippines are reportedly mulling the adoption of a national ID system in the wake of terrorism threats after the 11 September, 2001, attacks. Thailand will launch its smart national ID card later this year.
However, such plans have been met with fierce resistance from pro-privacy bodies, which believe identity cards infringe human rights and individual privacy.
"In recent years, attempts to create national ID cards in the US, Korea and Taiwan have all failed because of public opposition," the group said on its Web site.
