Abstract: Public data is an important component of the data marketplace, yet its modes of entry and participation categories have received limited attention in the current literature. This paper investigates the modes of public data participation in the data element market, both domestically and internationally, through sorting and comparative analysis. We identified two main categories and five modes for public data to enter the data element market, including: 1) the primary market (authorized operation) + secondary market (trading in the data exchange) mode, 2) the public data development and utilization + trading outside the data exchange mode, 3) the construction of a public data circulation market mode based on data platforms, 4) the trading mode using data brokers and data intermediaries, and 5) the participation in the data market mode through (public) data trusts. Building upon this categorization, the paper proposes an ideal mode for public data entry into the data element market, outlined in three phases: data acquisition, data product production, and data product trading. This paper offers insights for strategic selection regarding the entry of public data into the data element market in China.

Key words: Public data, Data element market, Public data authorization operation, Public data transactions, Data trust mode