WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/W/274 
9 November 2006 
 (06-5390) 
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 9 November 2006, 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. China has accepted the Code of Good Practic e in April 2002 and notified the acceptance to 
the ISO/IEC Information Centre and the WTO Secretariat (G/TBT/CS/N/143). 
II. PERIODIC REVIEW OF EXISTING STANDARDS OF GOVERNMENT 
STANDARDIZING BODIES AND HARMONIZATION OF THE SAME WITH RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS WHERE APPROPRIATE 
2. Chinese legislation on standardization provides legal basis for and guarantees the periodic 
review of existing standards.  Artic le 13 of the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China 
stipulates that "after the standards come into force, the department that formulated them shall, in the 
light of scientific and technological developments  and the needs in economic construction, make 
timely reviews of the current standards to determine if they are to remain effective or are to be revised 
or annulled".  Article 20 of the Regulations for th e Implementation of the Standardization Law of the 
People’s Republic of China stipulates that "after  standards go into effect, the departments which 
formulated the standards shall carry out timely review in light of the development of science and 
technology and the needs of economic construction.   Normally, review s hould be conducted no more 
than every five years".  The term "development of science and technology" embodies the development and revision of international a nd foreign advanced standards. 
3. Standards review is an important way to ensu re the applicability of standards and alignment 
with international standards.  In the process of implementation, the Standardization Administration 
Commission of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) and relevant sectoral and local standardization bodies worked out a programme for revising sectoral a nd local standards, contents of which are: to 
review all standards aged five years;  to timely revi se standards inappropriate to current situations;  to 
revise in accordance with the principle of active alig nment with international standards, and adopt if 
appropriate; to exercise overall analysis on inte rnational standards and work out schedule for 
alignment;  to actively participate in internati onal standardization, esp ecially preparation of 
international standards. G/TBT/W/274 
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  4. Starting from April 2004, SAC has started to sort out all the existing 21,000 national 
standards to check their relevance to market re quirement and the alignment with international 
standards.  Standards failed to meet thes e criteria will be amended or annulled.   
III. REVISION OF CURRENT VOLUNTARY NATIONAL, LOCAL AND SECTORAL 
STANDARDS SO AS TO HARMONIZE THEM WITH INTERNATIONAL 
STANDARDS 
5. The Standardization Law of the People's Republic  of China encourages active alignment with 
international standards.  The Plan on Preparati on of National Standards in 2004 places priority on 
those projects in alignment with international standa rds.  The same principle will be followed in the 
coming years.   
6. To accelerate the adoption of international sta ndards, the General Administration of Quality 
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) promulgated 
"Regulatory Measures on Adoption of International St andards", stipulating the principles for adoption 
of international standards, the level for adoption of international standard s and compilation methods, 
and measures for promoting the harmoniza tion with international standards. 
7. SAC is making efforts to sort out all the exis ting standards (national, local and sectoral) to 
check their relevance to market requirement and the alignment with international standards.  
Standards failed to meet these criter ia will be amended or annulled.  
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 
8. Ever since its accession to the WTO, China has been using the terms "technical regulations" 
and "standards" according to their meaning under the TBT Agreement.  There are two types of 
standards in China: mandatory and recommendatory . The nature of mandatory standards in China 
conforms to the definition of technical regula tions under the TBT Agreement and forms a main 
component of Chinese technical regulations.   
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 
9. Existing technical regulations are reviewed in line with the review of mandatory and 
recommendatory standards at least every five years to ensure their fulfilment of economic 
development needs and alignment with international standards. 
10. Adoption of international standards as the basi s for technical regulation has been notified as 
part of China's notification under Article 15.2 of  the TBT Agreement.  Please refer to document 
G/TBT/2/Add.65.   G/TBT/W/274 
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  VI. PROGRESS REPORT ON INCREASE OF THE USE OF INTERNATIONAL 
STANDARDS AS THE BASIS FOR TECHNICAL REGULATIONS BY TEN PER CENT IN FIVE YEARS 
11. The Plan on Preparation of National Standards in China places priority on those projects in 
alignment with international standards.  To meet th e target of "increase of the use of international 
standards as the basis for technical regulations by ten per cent in five years", the Chinese Government 
adopted and implemented in 2002 the "Regulatory Measures on Adoption of International Standards" 
and Measures for National Standard Development with  Fast Track, and reviewed the consistency of 
relevant technical regulations (including mandatory  standards) with international standards, and 
organized revision of them.  Starting from April 20 04, China has started to sort out all the existing 
national standards, which will increase to a large extent the percentage of use of international 
standards for technical regulations in China, thus he lp meet the target of 10 percent increase in five 
years. 
VII. PROVISION OF PROCEDURES TO IMPLEMENT ARTICLE 2.7 OF THE 
AGREEMENT 
12. The Third Triennial Review of the Opera tion and Implementation of the Agreement on 
Technical Barriers to Trade recommended that: 
 "To further its work on good regulat ory practice, the Committee agrees to: 
 
• initiate a process of sharing experiences on e quivalency in the Committee particularly 
with regard to how the concept is implem ented in practice."  (G/TBT/13 para. 14) 
 
13. China will continue to actively participate in  relevant Committee activities.  Once the 
Committee reaches consensus on equiva lence, China will act accordingly and provide procedures to 
implement Article 2.7 of the Agreement. 
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 
14. China's Notification under Article 15.2 of th e TBT Agreement has been submitted to the 
WTO Secretariat (Document G/TBT/2/Add.65).   
IX. UPDATED LIST ON THE CONFORMITY  ASSESSMENT BODIES THAT ARE 
RECOGNIZED BY CHINA  
15. China Quality Certification Center, China Certification Center for Electromagnetic 
Compatibility, China Certification Center for Secur ity and Protection, China Certification Center for 
Agricultural Machinery, China Certification Center for Safety Glazing, Beijing Zhong Hua 
Combination Quality Certification Co. Ltd., Certifica tion Center for Fire Products Ministry of Public 
Security, China Certification Center for Auto motive Products, Chinese Electronics Standardization 
Institute Certification Center of the Product, Gu ojian Lianxin Attestation Center Co. Ltd., China 
Certification Center for Quality Mark, China Sta ndard Certification Center, Center of Boiler & 
Pressure Vessel Inspection and Research, the National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and 
Biological Products, the Maritime Administration of the People's Republic of China and Register of 
Shipping at all levels, Register of Fishing Vess els of the People's Republic of China and Local 
Register of Fishing Vessels  Entry-Exit Inspection and quarantine Bureau at all levels, China National G/TBT/W/274 
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  Fibre Inspection Bureau and  Fibre Inspection Bur eau at all levels, Local Institute of Special 
Equipment Inspection; China Electronics Standardi zation Institute (CESI) Safety and EMC Testing 
Center of Electronic Industry, National Testing and Inspection Center for Radio and TV Products, the 
Shanghai Institute of Standards a nd Metrology and Testing for Elec tronic Products and Instruments, 
China CEPREI (Headquarters) Laboratory, Guangzh ou Testing and Inspection Institute for Household 
Electrical Appliances (GTIHEA), Beijing Testing In stitution for Household Electrical Appliances, 
Beijing Electrical Research Institute for Techni que and Economy of Machin ery Industry, Shanghai 
Electric Cable Research Institute, Shanghai Testi ng & Inspection Institute for Electrical Equipment 
(STIEE), Chengdu Electrical Appliance Inspection In stitute, Shanghai Testing & Inspection Institute 
for Electrical Appliances, China Light Test Laboratory (Beijing), Shanghai Alpha Lighting 
Equipment Testing Ltd.(SALT)(China National Lighting Fitting Quality Supervision Testing 
Center(CLTC)), China Telecommunication Technology  Labs., Telecommunication Metrology Center 
of M.I.I., Testing & Inspection Station for Special A ppliance of Shanghai Scien tific Research Institute 
of Labor Protection, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspec tion and Quarantine Bureau electrical Applicance 
Testing Laboratory /Inspection Center of Industria l Products and Raw Materri als of SHCIQ, Zhejiang 
LEAD Product Technic, Mechanical and Electrical Products Testing Center of Jiangsu Entry-Exit 
Inspection and Quarantine Bureau/Building and D ecorating Materials Testing Lab. of Inspection 
Centre of Industrial Products of  Jiangsu Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Testing and 
Technology Center for Industrial Products of Shen zhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 
Testing Center for Electronics Products & Electrica l Appliances of Shenyang Entry-Exit Inspection 
and Quarantine Bureau, Shenzhen Electronic Pr oduct Quality Testing Center, Electric Safety 
Laboratory of Guangzhou Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Guangdong Test center of 
Product Quality Supervision, Nim-Njtu United Lab. for Electromagnetic Compatibility, Zhejiang 
Institute of Calibration and Testing for Qualitative Technical Supervision, Fujian Provincial Central 
Inspection Institute, Shanghai Institute of Supe rvision & Testing on Product Quality, Sichuan 
Province Product Quality Supervision & Inspection Institute, Chengdu Product Quality Supervision 
Inspection Institute, Shenzhen Academy of Metrol ogy and Quality Inspection, Dalian Institute of 
Product Inspection & Supervision, Shandong In stitute of Metrology,  Shandong Provincial 
Supervision & Inspection Institute for Product Qu ality, Machinery Industry Auto-office Equipment 
Testing Institute, Shanghai Institute of Process Au tomation Instrumentation Inspection and Testing 
Institute of Instruments and Automatic Systems,   Beijing Zunguan Information Technology Product 
Quality Testing Certification Limited Co., Huna n Apparatus Research Institute Apparatus Test 
Laboratory, Wuhan High Voltage Research Institute  State Power Corporation of China, Suzhou 
Electrical Apparatus Science Research Institute Co ., Ltd., Zhejiang Kezheng Electronic Information 
Product Test Co. Ltd. (National Computer Periphe ral Quality Supervising Test Center), China 
National Tyre Quality Test and Supervision Center, The Cycle Tire Quality Supervising Test Center 
of Chemical Industry, Qingdao Supervision and Inspection Institute of Product Quality, Quality 
Supervision & Inspection Center of Latex Products of Chemical Industry in Zhuzhou, China National 
Safety Glass & Quartz Glass Test Center, China National Center for Quality Supervision and Test Glass, Chinese Academy of Agricu ltural Mechanization Science, Na tional Center of Supervision, 
Inspection & Test for Crop Protection Machinery Qualit y, the Testing Center for Quality of Security 
and Police Product, Quality Supervis ion and Test Center of Alarm System Product of Security and 
Crime Prevention of Ministry of Public Security, Beijing Institute of Medical Device Test, Liaoning 
Province Medical Device Quality Supervision and Test Institute (LMTI), Guangdong Medical 
Instruments Test Center, Shanghai Testing & Insp ection Institute for Medical Equipment, Chang 
Chun Automotive Inspection Center, China National Au tomobile Quality Supervision and Test Center 
(Xiangfan), Tianjin Automotive Test Center, the National Coach Quality Supervision and Inspection 
Center, National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center of Heavy Duty Vehicles, China National 
Construction Machinery Quality Supervising Test Center, National Motorcycle Quality Supervision 
and Testing Center (Tianjin), China National Motorcycle Testing Center (Bao ji), Nanchang 
Motorcycle Quality Supervision and Inspection In stitute, Shanghai Motorc ycle Quality Inspection 
Administration, China National Center for Quality Su pervision and Test of Fire Fighting Equipment, 
China National Center for Quality Supervision and Test of Fire Electronic Products, China National  G/TBT/W/274 
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  Center for Quality Supervision and Test of Fixe d Fire Extinguishing System and Fire-Resisting 
Building Components, Hefei Institute of Testing on  General Mechanical Product, Liaoning Province 
Institute of Supervision & Testing on Product Quality , Tianjin Institute of Testing on Dynamotor and 
Electrical Control Equipment, Tianshui Great Wa ll Institute of Testing on Electrical Appliances, 
Chongqing Electrical Appliance Testing Center, Cha ngzhen Electrical Appliances Research Institute, 
Shenyang Research Institute of Electrical Transmissi on, Zhejiang Province Institute of Testing on 
Mechanical & Electrical Product Quality, Mechanical & Electrical Products Testing Laboratory of 
Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau , Technical Center of Fujian Inspection and 
Quarantine, Testing Laboratory for Electronics Pr oducts & Electrical Appliances of Xiamen Entry-
Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Wuhan Instit ute of Supervision & Testing on Product Quality, 
Shannxi Province Institute of Supervision & Testi ng on Product Quality, Hebei Province Institute of 
Supervision & Testing on Product Quality, Jilin Province Institute of Supervision & Testing on 
Product Quality, Tianjin Institute of Supervisio n & Testing on Product Quality, Hunan Province 
Institute of Supervision & Testing on Product Qua lity, Henan Province Institute of Supervision & 
Testing on Product Quality, Jiansu Province Centra l Institute of Supervision & Testing on Product 
Quality, Jiangsu Institute of Metrological Testing T echnology, Wuxi Province In stitute of Supervision 
& Testing on Product Quality, Beijing Province In stitute of Supervision & Testing on Product 
Quality, Chongqing Institute of Quality Supervisi on and Testing on Electronics Products & Electrical 
Appliances, Ninbo Institute of Supervision & T esting on Product Quality, Wenzhou Institute of 
Supervision & Testing on Product Quality, Liao ning Academy of Electric Power, Testing and 
Technology Center for Safety of Industrial Produc ts of Qingdao Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine 
Bureau, Shanghai Institute of Metrological Testing Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Supervision and 
Testing on Electronics Products, Hangzhou Institute of Supervision & Testing on Product Quality, 
Anhui Province Institute of Supervision & Testi ng on Product Quality, National Paint and coating 
quality supervision and testing center, National Ch emical building material testing center/Beijing 
Chemical research institute, National chemical building material quality supervision and testing 
center/Zhejiang fangyuan testing group, Industrial environment supervision and testing center for 
building materials/China building material resear ch instititute, Shanghai chemical product quality 
supervision and testing center, Guangdong Provincial product quality supervision and testing center, 
Guangdong paint and coating pr oduct quality supervision and t esting center, Guangzhou product 
quality supervision and testing institute, National qu ality supervision and testing center for building 
sanitary porcelain, National building material testi ng center, National quality supervision and testing 
center for building decoration materials, Guangdong Fuoshan product quality supervision and testing 
Institute, National quality supervis ion and testing center (Guangzhou) for light industrial decoration 
material and porcelain, Chongqing motor vehicle tes ting center, Shanghai  motor vehicleinspection 
center, Jinan automobile testing center, Xi njiang Uigur Autonomous Region product quality 
supervision and testing Institute , National quality Supervision and Inspection center for Electrical 
Measuring Instruments, Shenyang Impartial Insp ect Group, Hubei Electric Power Testing and 
Research Institute, Electrical safety testing cente r of Ningbo entry-exit inspection and quarantine 
bureau, Jiangxi Product Quality Supervision Tes ting College, Qingdao ZhiJian inspection limited 
Company, The supervision and Testing Laborator y for contraceptives Quality of CCSC of NPFPC, 
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Institute of s upervision and Testing on Product Quality, Shanxi 
Province Product Quality Supervision and Inspecti on Institute, Hubei Provincial Supervision And 
Inspection Institute of Product Quality, Chongqing Institute of Supe rvision and Inspection on Product 
Quality, Liaoning Building Materials Supervision and Test Institute, Chin a CIQ Jingdezhen Ceramic 
Inspection and Test Center, Jiangxi. G/TBT/W/274 
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  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  
16. The item of the Registration and Approval of In itial Imports of Chemical Products has been 
discontinued. On 12 September, 2003, the Stat e Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) 
issued the Provisions on the Environmental Administ ration of New Chemical Substances, which is in 
compliance with the national treatment of the TBT Agreement and. The Provision is notified to the 
TBT committee. Regulations on the Import and Export Registration of Hazardous Chemicals are in inter-agency consultation process, and will be notified to the WTO in accordance with the TBT 
Agreement.  
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 
17. The same technical regulations, standards a nd conformity assessment procedures are applied 
to both imported and domes tic products.  For imported and domes tic products, all bodies and agencies 
shall issue the mark and charge the same fee, and provide the same processing periods and complaint 
procedures.  The choice of the conformity assessment bodies is at the discretion of the applicant. 
18. Referring to the names of conformity assessment  bodies listed in item (IX), the scope of work 
and type of products for which they are respectively responsible can be learnt. 
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