How Standards Are Born | "315" Special Planning

Reporter Luo Wenli

The ingredient list, notes, production batch number, and other tiny print on the product packaging are becoming increasingly important “measures” for consumers to judge product quality. Among these, the “Implementation Standard Number” is like the product’s “ID card,” adding another dimension for consumers to assess quality: Does the product meet the specified standards? How are these standards regulated? And how are they developed?

In fact, the creation of a standard usually involves multiple steps: project initiation, drafting, discussion, review, and publication. In recent years, with industrial upgrades and accelerated technological innovation, countries have placed greater emphasis on standard systems. This is because standards not only relate to product quality and safety but also influence the competitive landscape of industries to some extent.

According to the “Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China” (hereinafter referred to as the “Standardization Law”), China has established a parallel system of national standards, industry standards, local standards, group standards, and enterprise standards. Internationally, many countries have legislated to prioritize government adoption of standards developed by social organizations, making participation more active and the standard system more market-oriented.

Management and Development Bodies of Chinese Standards

The Standardization Law stipulates that the State Council authorizes the National Standardization Management Committee (hereinafter “Standardization Committee”) to oversee nationwide standardization work uniformly. After the 2018 institutional reform, the responsibilities of the Standardization Committee were transferred to the State Market Supervision Administration, which retains the name externally. The original functions are now handled by the Standard Technology Management Department and the Standard Innovation Management Department under the General Administration: the former is responsible for national standards and international benchmarking, while the latter manages industry standards and participates in international standardization.

The core functions of the Standardization Committee include: issuing national standard plans, approving and releasing national standards, reviewing and publishing standardization policies and systems; conducting mandatory national standard notifications; coordinating and guiding industry, local, group, and enterprise standards; and representing China in activities of international and regional standardization organizations such as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

In terms of development entities, China’s standards have formed a pattern of government-led and market-driven development. On the government side, national, industry, and local standards are drafted, reviewed, and issued by relevant administrative departments. On the market side, laws explicitly encourage social organizations such as societies, associations, chambers of commerce, alliances, and industry technology alliances to coordinate relevant market entities to jointly develop group standards that meet market and innovation needs; enterprises are also supported to independently or jointly develop enterprise standards. These standards are voluntary, adopted at market discretion, with companies playing a key role in providing technical expertise based on R&D and industry experience.

International and Other Countries’ Standard Development Bodies

Other countries tend to have more market-oriented and socialized standardization models.

For example, the United States does not have an official national standards organization. Instead, ANSI (American National Standards Institute) acts as a coordinating body, organizing private sector organizations to develop voluntary standards, with the government primarily adopting existing standards. In fields like telecommunications, IT, and engineering, organizations such as IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) and ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) lead standard development. ANSI also represents the U.S. in ISO and IEC, promoting deep involvement of American enterprises in global standard rules.

Germany has a mature standard system led by DIN (German Institute for Standardization), responsible for government-authorized and civil society operations, jointly developing standards with enterprises, research institutions, and consumer representatives. Since its founding in 1917, DIN has been the core support for Germany’s industrial standardization.

Japan’s industrial standards are coordinated by JISC (Japanese Industrial Standards Committee), under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Its standards focus on detail and industry fit, widely used in areas like agricultural product grading and electronic product reliability.

The UK’s BSI (British Standards Institution) is the world’s first national standards organization, granted royal charter, adopting a government-market collaboration model, balancing compliance and commercial innovation.

Beyond national systems, there are international standards organizations covering the globe. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is a non-governmental organization and one of the most influential global standard bodies, with over 170 member countries, developing standards for nearly all industries except electrical and electronic fields. IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) focuses on electrical, electronic, and electrical standards.

Together with ITU (International Telecommunication Union), which manages telecommunications and spectrum, they form the three pillars of global standardization. The WSC (World Standards Cooperation), jointly established by these three organizations, handles high-level coordination to prevent duplication and conflicts. Notably, many standards issued by these international bodies are voluntary “soft rules,” but they have become de facto norms in international trade, industry division, and market access.

Why Standard Development Matters

Standards are not just technical documents; they are core rules for global industry cooperation and national industrial competitiveness. In 2019, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paulson warned at the Innovation Economy Forum that if major economies dominate the development of standards in key technologies, it could lead to fragmentation of the international standard system, causing incompatibility, disrupting global supply chains, and constraining cross-border investment and business activities.

The right to develop international standards is a key pathway for countries to occupy industrial high ground and enhance global influence. Researcher Wang Miao from the China Academy of Standardization pointed out that developed countries leverage their advantages in science, economy, and institutions to lead international standard-setting, consolidating their leadership in the global economy. They also promote standard mutual recognition through technical regulations and coordinated standards, building “offensive and defensive alliances” to strengthen their international competitiveness.

With technological progress and industrial upgrading, China’s efforts in international standardization have made significant progress. According to data released by the State Market Supervision Administration in January, by 2025, China will have proposed 505 international standard proposals in fields like low-carbon energy, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and industrial networks—an increase of 15.83%. During the 14th Five-Year Plan, China submitted 1,740 proposals, a 32.12% increase over the 13th Five-Year. In international standard development, by 2025, China will have led the formulation and release of 285 ISO and IEC standards in areas such as new energy, smart grids, traditional medicine, and brain-computer interfaces—up 26.67%. During the same period, China has led the development and publication of 1,183 ISO and IEC standards, an 88.1% increase from the previous period.

To enhance China’s international competitiveness in standards, Wang Miao suggested leveraging China’s consumer goods industry’s supporting capacity and international advantages to align key consumer product standards with international standards, thereby improving compatibility and breaking through traditional limitations.

It is worth noting that as the standard system rapidly expands, new issues have emerged. According to interviews with the China Economic Observer, current problems include overlapping standards, narrow scope of group standards, and technical barriers created by local standards, which somewhat hinder the construction of a unified national market. Balancing technological innovation with maintaining market rule consistency has become a key challenge for high-quality development of China’s standard system.

Upgrading the Consumer Goods Standard System

Looking at the development of global standard systems, the most mature, complete, and long-standing systems are almost all concentrated in industrial and manufacturing sectors, while standards for consumer, retail, or service industries have lagged behind for a long time. This is a result of industrialization.

The implementation of standards is closely tied to industrial development. Industrial production relies heavily on division of labor, from component manufacturing to full assembly, often requiring cross-company, cross-region, and even cross-country cooperation. Without unified sizes, interfaces, safety, and performance standards, products from different companies cannot be compatible, making large-scale production impossible. This is the core reason standards initially served the operation of industrial systems.

Moreover, risks in industrial sectors are high. Accidents in power, chemical, construction, and transportation industries often mean major safety incidents. Therefore, early on, countries reached consensus: strict, quantifiable technical standards are necessary to control risks before production. This drove the early development of standards in electrical, mechanical, and construction fields, which gradually formed the current international standard system.

In contrast, the consumer, retail, and service sectors have long relied on market self-regulation. Consumer experiences are subjective and difficult to quantify, and rapid changes in business models make standard formulation inherently lag behind. For a long time, these industries depended more on corporate self-discipline, brand reputation, and industry conventions rather than institutionalized standards.

With the rapid growth of consumer markets, new consumption formats and channels such as live-streaming e-commerce, medical aesthetics, health supplements, functional skincare, pre-made dishes, and membership payments have emerged, exposing “standard gaps.” When rules are unclear, some business behaviors operate in gray areas, challenging industry order and consumer rights.

Internationally, the EU adopts a “regulation + standards” model. It enforces mandatory requirements like CE marking (EU market access mark), unified food labeling, mandatory nutritional disclosure, and environmental labels, elevating consumer standards into legal regulation.

The U.S. emphasizes market autonomy, with less government involvement in consumer standards. Industry associations lead standard development, supplemented by court rulings and high compensation to deter violations.

Japan, with its highly urbanized society, has developed a detailed consumer standards system, with standardized food labeling and service procedures, supported by a comprehensive complaint handling mechanism, creating a mature consumer standards ecosystem.

In China, relevant departments are also working to optimize the standard system and improve quality. As of February 5, 2026, data from the State Market Supervision Administration and Standardization Committee show that over 210 national standards have been issued for major consumer products like home appliances, furniture, clothing, as well as services such as sports, tourism, and catering.

Currently, China has issued transitional policies such as the “Action Plan for Strengthening Consumer Product Standardization” and the “Three-Year Action Plan for Optimizing the Consumer Environment (2025–2027),” creating a tolerant, stable, and predictable policy environment to support new business formats. Next, the administration will study and formulate plans to upgrade national consumer standards and accelerate the construction of a new consumer standard system aligned with high-quality development.