China established a nationwide alliance of chief information officers (CIO) on Sunday, aiming to introduce this position to major Chinese enterprises to strengthen the role of information in corporate management.

The alliance is a non-profit organization jointly founded by the Chinese Institute of Electronics, the Electronic Industry Press and Renmin University, under the guidance of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

A plan released by the ministry this year said it will promote the system of CIOs in large and medium-sized Chinese enterprises in the next five years as part of an effort to deepen the role of information technology and resources in industrial development.

CIO is a concept born in the United States in the 1980s and was introduced to China in the 1990s. It refers to a senior executive responsible for information technology and systems.

According to the MIIT, only one-third of Chinese companies have started the building of a CIO system, with fewer having set up the position.

The alliance will draft standards for CIO authentication and be in charge of CIO training and exchanges.