Authorities in Guangdong Province, China (one of the country’s wealthiest areas) have introduced a plan which aims to boost security, prevent crime, and make cities and villages in Guangdong safer for everyone. RFID cards, to be issued to all residents, are a key element of this plan. Citizens would be required to carry one of these ID cards on them at all times, and information from the cards will be used to bolster a government program called the “public security information network.” The RFID cards, which will hold information like bus records and credit card purchases, will likely transmit the information stored on the card to checkpoints at certain intervals. RFID cards, or contactless smart cards, have the ability to transmit information to a reader or interceptor through radio waves.

The Chinese economy is expected to become the second largest in the world in the near future, surpassing Germany. This, along with its impending role as host of the 2008 summer Olympic Games, Chinese officials are hoping programs like RFID ID cards for citizens will be beneficial.