WESF plays a role in promoting standardization and eliminating global trade barriers.
On September 13, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) hosted a visiting delegation from China National Institute of Standardization (CNIS) at its Washington, DC, office, exchanging information on the latest developments of national standardization systems and relevant strategies, participation in international standard setting, and the private sector’s role in U.S. and Chinese standards activities. Guests from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) also attended this meeting.
Mary Saunders, ANSI senior vice president of government relations and public policy, welcomed the guests from CNIS and NIST, appreciating their long-term support for ANSI and its members. ANSI and NIST representatives introduced the U.S. standards system, featuring its public-private partnership, ANSI and NIST’s respective roles within the system, and the relationship between the United States Standards Strategy (USSS) and the U.S. Government National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology (USG NSSCET). NIST representatives also provided a high-level overview of their work in research, conformity assessment, accreditation, and quality management.
Led by president Luo Fangping, the CNIS delegation comprised Cao Lili, director of sub-institute of standardization theory and strategy; Yang Xuefeng, deputy director of the technological management department; and Xu Qing, senior engineer at the sub-institute of standardization theory and strategy. President Luo Fangping elaborated on their work under the Outline for National Standardization Development, an overarching national strategy published by the Chinese government in 2021. Guiding the mid- and long-term development of standardization in China, the Outline lays out the overall requirements and tasks in certain strategic sectors with more detailed implementation guidance in the supporting three-year Action Plan. As a national scientific research institute affiliated with the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), CNIS has been implementing the Outline by improving standards development activities and monitoring the implementation impact of the standards in the key sectors specified in the Outline (including information technology, food and agriculture, decarbonization and green development, and the service industry), in order to foster the coordinated development of government-led and market-driven standards, enhance the sustainability of traditional industries, and improve the effective implementation of national standards in China.
The participants also exchanged insights on the private sector’s participation in national standardization activities, the principles of international standardization, how to support research activities, best practices in tackling duplication and gaps in domestic standards development, and pre-standardization engagement in the U.S. and China.
Building on years of existing collaboration, ANSI and CNIS formalized their commitment in June 2021 by signing a Letter of Intent (LOI), pledging to further facilitate dialogue, information sharing, and cooperation in the field of standardization. In the spirit of the LOI, both organizations convene regular bilateral meetings, delegation visits, and events to exchange updates on priorities and progress with relevant stakeholders.