# Presentation: 284671

## Navigating China’s Standards System

**Jenny May**
**International Trade Specialist**
**Office of Chinese Economic Area**
**U.S. Department of Commerce**

## Overview

- Landscape of China’s Standards System.
- Common Challenges.
- Cooperative Efforts on Standards.
- Future Trend.

## Background

- Long history of standards setting.
- Historically, all standards development and most R&D driven by the government.
- Transition phase of new laws and legal system.
- Emerging economy based on manufacturing
- Growing market/middle class.
- Recognition of importance of standards in global markets.

## Chinese Standards System: Observations

- Centralized, top- down structure.
- Regulatory reform, transitional stage.
- Pre-WTO rules and regulations.
- Focused on indigenous products.

## China’s Technical Standards Strategic Plan

- Improve the adaptability of technical standards to technological, trade, industrial and market demands.
- Joint development of standards by greater cooperation between government and enterprises.
- Develop indigenous technical standards to be competitive with international norms.

## Strategic Goals

- By 2010, form a complete national technical standard system on a par with international standards.
- By 2020, upgrade the overall technological level of China’s technical standards in key areas to enable China to become a contributor to international standards.

## Centralized System

## Major Functions of AQSIQ

## Major Functions of SAC

- Strategize PRC standardization plan.
- Promulgate national standards (“GB”).
- Manage and coordinate technical committees work.
- Represent China in ISO, IEC and ITU activities.

## Major Functions of CNCA

- Implement China’s conformity assessment related rules and regulations.
- Oversee China’s Compulsory Certification regime.
- Represent China in international activities, including IAF, PAC, IPC, APLAC, ISO and IEC, related to conformity assessment.
- Oversee activities by foreign owned or joint venture conformity assessment bodies.

## Four Types of Standards

- National Standards (“GB”) by SAC.
- Industry Standards (“YD”) by ministries.
- Sectoral Standards by enterprises.
- Regional Standards by local authorities.

## Examples of Involved Agencies

| China State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) | Ministry of Health (MOH)
State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) |
| --- | --- |
| Ministry of Information Industry
(MII)  | Ministry of Construction
(MOC) |
| Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MOLSS) | Ministry of Agriculture
(MOA) |

## Standards Challenges

- Impartiality: need independent SDOs and conformity assessment bodies.
- Openness/Transparency.
- Inter-agency coordination.
- Local protectionism.

## Standards Cooperation with China

***Seeking a level playing field***
- Objective: Greater clarity and transparency in Chinese standards and technical regulations.
- Outreach Programs: our interactions with Chinese ministries to achieve common understandings on their standards and technical regulations.

## 	Multi-pronged approach for tackling 	standards concerns

- Address specific issue.
- Public-Private cooperation.
- Training and capacity building.

## Address Specific Concerns

- Sector-Specific Programs
- U.S.-China Chemicals Dialogue (2005 - present)
- U.S.-China Roundtable and DVC on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) (1/06)
- U.S.-China Symposium on Standards and IPR (9/06).
- ANSI-NIST-SAC Technical Dialogue on Standards (5/07).
- Standards in Trade Workshop with China led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on intelligent transportation systems and energy efficiency (05/07, 08/07).

## Address Specific Concerns: Engagement with China on Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS)  

- Digital Video Conference (DVC) Oct, 06
- 	- Face-to-face industry to government discussion.
- Clarifications of product range.
- Potential catalog scope.
- Status upcoming standards.
- 	- Encourage China to notify the WTO on draft standards.
- 	- Involved entities: MII, CNCA, CQC, CESI.
- 	- 90+ U.S. industry reps participated in the DVC.

## Engagement with MII on China RoHS

- Bilateral meeting in Washington, DC Oct, 06
- Encouraged MII to continue to be transparent.
- Identify China RoHS POC to address U.S industry questions. (*chinaRoHS@MII.gov.cn*).
- Pressed the issue on RoHS effective date: manufacturing date vs. sales date.
- Encouraged MII to notify related standards to the WTO.
- Pressed the importance of U.S. industry’s participation in the standards working group.

## Next steps

- Continue to monitor the development of China RoHS.
- Need your input to help us determine open issues and next steps.
- Continue engagement with Chinese regulatory agencies.

## U.S. private sector China activities

- Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP)- supported standards activities in China:
- U.S. Information Technology Office (USITO).
- National Electrical Manufacturers Association Office.
- Consortia of Standards and Conformity Assessment.
- Natural Product Association office.
- ASTM International Beijing Office.
- ANSI’s U.S.-China Standards Portal.
- _[http://www.standardsportal.org.cn/splash/default.aspx](http://www.standardsportal.org.cn/splash/default.aspx)_

## Current Perspective and Trends

- Poised to become a top ranking contributor of international standards.
- Increased Chinese involvement with international standards.
- To meet WTO/TBT demands and align with international standards.
- Western concern about PRC government intervention.

## Thank you!

- Jenny May
- Office of Chinese Economic Area
- _[Jenny.may@mail.doc.gov](mailto:Jenny.may@mail.doc.gov)_
- _[www.export.gov/china](http://www.export.gov/china)_
- Tel: 202-482-5681