WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/W/296 
4 November 2008 
 (08-5327) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
ANNUAL TRANSITIONAL REVIEW MANDATED IN PARAGRAPH 18 OF THE 
PROTOCOL OF ACCESSION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: 
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN ANNEX 1A OF WT/L/432 
 
Submission by the People's Republic of China
 
 
  The following communication, dated 3 November 2008, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the People's Republic of China
 
 
 
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I. NOTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE CODE OF GOOD PRACTICE NOT 
LATER THAN FOUR MONTHS AFTER CHINA'S ACCESSION 
1. There has been no change in this area since last Review.  
II. PERIODIC REVIEW OF EXISTING STANDARDS OF GOVERNMENT 
STANDARDIZING BODIES AND HARMONIZATION OF THE SAME WITH RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS WHERE APPROPRIATE 
1. At present, the technical committees under the Standardization Administration Commission 
of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) orga nize periodic reviews of existing standards 
pursuant to relevant requirements. Other than this , there has been no change in this area since 
the last Review. 
III. REVISION OF CURRENT VOLUNTARY NATIONAL, LOCAL AND SECTORAL 
STANDARDS SO AS TO HARMONIZE THEM WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS 
1. The Standardization Administration Commission of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) 
conducts the regular revision of standards based on the review of standards. Other than this, 
there has been no change in this area since the last Review. 
IV. USE OF THE TERMS "TECHNICAL REGULATIONS" AND "STANDARDS" 
ACCORDING TO THEIR MEANING UNDER THE TBT AGREEMENT IN CHINA'S 
NOTIFICATIONS UNDER THE TBT AG REEMENT, INCLUDING UNDER 
ARTICLE 15.2 THEREOF AND PUBLICATIONS REFERENCED THEREIN, AND IN MODIFICATIONS OF EXISTING MEASURES 
1. Ever since its accession to the WTO, China has been using the terms "technical regulations” 
and "standards" according to their meaning unde r the TBT Agreement.  There are two types 
of standards in China: mandatory and recommenda tory. The nature of mandatory standards in G/TBT/W/296 
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  China conforms to the definition of technical  regulations under the TB T Agreement and forms 
a main component of Chinese technical regulati ons.  Since accession to the WTO, China has 
notified 429 mandatory standards to the WTO in accordance with the requirements of the 
TBT Agreement on technical regula tions (as of 13 October 2008). 
V. REVIEW OF TECHNICAL REGULATIONS EVERY FIVE YEARS TO ENSURE 
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ARE USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 
2.4 OF THE AGREEMENT AND PO LICIES FOR ADOPTION OF 
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AS THE BASIS FOR TECHNICAL REGULATION AS PART OF ITS NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 15.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
1. There has been no change in this area since the last Review. 
VI. PROGRESS REPORT ON INCREASE OF THE USE OF INTERNATIONAL 
STANDARDS AS THE BASIS FOR TECHNICAL REGULATIONS BY TEN PER CENT IN FIVE YEARS 
1. There has been no change in this area since the last Review. 
VII. PROVISION OF PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT ARTICLE 2.7 OF THE 
AGREEMENT 
1. There has been no change in this area since the last Review. 
VIII.  PROVISION OF A LIST OF RELEVANT LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-
GOVERNMENTAL BODIES THAT ARE AUTHORIZED TO PREPARE TECHNICAL REGULATIONS OR CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AS PART OF CHINA'S NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 15.2 OF THE 
AGREEMENT 
1. There has been no change in this area since the last Review.  
IX. UPDATED LIST ON THE CONFORMITY  ASSESSMENT BODIES THAT ARE 
RECOGNIZED BY CHINA  
1. The number of conformity assessment bodies recognized by the Chinese Government is 167 
in 2008 (as of 30 September 2008). 
A detailed list can be obtained from http://www.cnca.gov.cn/cnca/cxzq/default.shtml
  
X. ENACTMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION  OF A NEW LAW AND RELEVANT 
REGULATIONS REGARDING ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL OF CHEMICALS FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH COMPLETE NATIONAL TREATMENT AND FULL CONSISTENCY WITH INTERNATIONAL 
PRACTICES WOULD BE ENSURED WITHIN ONE YEAR AFTER CHINA'S 
ACCESSION FOLLOWING CONDITIONS SET OUT IN 3(T) OF THE TBT WORKING PARTY REPORT  
1. There has been no change in this area since the last Review.   G/TBT/W/296 
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  XI. INFORMATION ON WHETHER, ONE YEAR AFTER ACCESSION, ALL 
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES AND AGENCIES ARE AUTHORIZED TO UNDERTAKE CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT FOR BOTH IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC PRODUCTS AND ARE FOLLOWING THE CONDITIONS OUTLINED IN SECTION 13, SUBPARAGRAPH 4(A) OF THE PROTOCOL 
XII. ASSIGNMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF CHINA'S 
CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES SOLELY ON THE BASIS OF THE SCOPE OF WORK AND TYPE OF PRODUCT WITHOUT ANY CONSIDERATION OF THE ORIGIN OF A PRODUCT NO LATER THAN EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER ACCESSION 
XIII.  NOTIFICATION OF THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES ASSIGNED TO 
CHINA'S CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES TO THE TBT COMMITTEE 12 MONTHS AFTER ACCESSION 
1. There has been no change in this area since last Review.    
 
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