Why China’s New DNS Root Servers Matter for Global Internet Stability

According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on June 26, the ministry issued a reply approving the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) to establish DNS root server mirrors (F, I, K, L) and to act as the operating institution for these servers.

Approval Details

Reference: MIIT Letter No. 172 (2019).

CNNIC: Your application to set up the DNS root server mirrors (F, I, K, L) and to become the operating institution has been received. In accordance with the "Internet Domain Name Management Measures" (MIIT Order No. 43), after review, the following approval is granted:

1. Approval is given for CNNIC to establish the DNS root server mirrors (F, I, K, L) and to operate the servers identified as JX0001F, JX0002F, JX0003I, JX0004K, JX0005L, and JX0006L.

2. CNNIC must strictly comply with the "Internet Domain Name Management Measures", the "Telecommunication Network Security Protection Management Measures", and all relevant laws, regulations, administrative rules, and industry standards. It must accept MIIT’s supervision, build an information management system that meets MIIT requirements, and ensure safe, reliable operation of the root servers, providing secure and convenient domain services while protecting user personal information and national interests.

3. CNNIC must develop and continuously improve management policies for the root servers and the operating institution, assign dedicated personnel for operation, maintenance, and management, establish a fixed contact mechanism, select qualified network access service providers, and report any changes to server location, IP address, or AS number at least 15 days in advance in writing.

4. CNNIC must provision necessary network resources and emergency communication equipment, create effective network and information security emergency plans, establish dedicated security management teams, implement robust security measures, and deploy technical means for monitoring, early warning, emergency response, and data backup, regularly reporting information and complying with MIIT’s unified command and coordination.

5. Within five working days after each quarter ends, CNNIC must submit a report on the root servers' business activities and security operation for the previous quarter to MIIT (fax: 010-66037097; email: [email protected]).

6. Any issues encountered during operation, maintenance, or management must be promptly reported to MIIT in writing.

7. This approval takes effect upon issuance and is valid for five years.

MIIT 2019-06-24

Related News

"Snowman" Project Deploys IPv6 Root Servers Globally, China Adds Four

According to Xinhua News, as of August 2017, 25 IPv6 root servers worldwide had handled 2,391 recursive server queries, mainly in Europe, North America, and the Asia‑Pacific region, reflecting the global deployment of IPv6. IPv6 root servers receive nearly 120 million queries daily.

Root servers are the top‑level DNS resolvers, often described as the Internet’s "central nervous system." The United States has historically dominated the root server governance system, which has persisted for nearly 30 years. In the IPv4 era, there were 13 root servers, with the primary root located in the U.S. and the remaining 12 distributed mainly in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

Engineering Center Director Liu Dong told Xinhua that this governance model leads to an uneven distribution of critical Internet resources and reduces countries' ability to resist large‑scale DDoS attacks, posing security risks.

With the growth of Internet‑connected devices, the IPv4 system can no longer meet demand, prompting global adoption of IPv6.

Liu explained that the Engineering Center seized this historic opportunity and, in 2013, jointly launched the "Snowman" project with operators and experts from Japan and the United States, proposing a comprehensive IPv6‑based, self‑controlled root server solution.

Building on compatibility with the existing IPv4 architecture, the "Snowman" project completed the deployment of 25 IPv6 root servers across 16 countries (including the U.S., Japan, India, Russia, Germany, France) by 2016, with one primary and three secondary roots in China, creating a new landscape of 13 original plus 25 IPv6 root servers and laying a solid foundation for a multilateral, democratic, and transparent international Internet governance system.

Source: The Paper, reporter Fang Xiao.