What they say

China is a very strong member of the International Electrotechnical Commission. We are very happy with the acceptance, dedication and commitment to international standards by China.

Frans Vreeswijk, secretary-general and CEO of International Electrotechnical Commission

We have now engaged in a new journey that will apply more technical cooperation, more concrete outcomes, and in which European experts, Chinese experts and economists can work together to support growth and welfare. So we see this as the beginning of a new era of cooperation between Europe and China.

Elena Santiago, director general of the European Committee for Standardization

I have been to many general assemblies and this has been the best one I have been to. China has very much committed to providing high-quality services, high-quality programs, and high-quality food. I am very impressed that the senior leaders of China know so much about standardization.

John Walter, vice-president of the International Organization for Standardization

It is a very, very full week. We focused on connectivity this year. It was a very important theme for us.

Kevin McKinley, ISO acting secretary-general

This is the first time I was invited to attend an ISO general assembly, and I think it has been very instructive. The networking is excellent, the international open minds are fantastic, and I can see here the combination of the good will on the political sides and the pragmatic expertise make international standards work better.

Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, director-general of the International Union of Railways

We learned a lot at the assembly and we came together with all our colleagues from around the world. It was a very successful meeting, in my view, in all aspects of activity. We got commitment from the highest level of the Chinese government to support standardization and the value it brings to the society.

Joe Bhatia, president of the American National Standards Institute

It was among the best general assemblies I have attended. Everything was great. I hope all the leaders worldwide would be aware of the value of standards, of the benefits they could derive from standards and from the contribution to international standards. The Chinese people and government have a very strategic approach, and I think having strategy and knowing what to do is the best way to achieve it.

Olivier Peyrat, ISO vice-president

I am extremely impressed by the general assembly. It is a marvelous event and everything is well organized. Since we have to host the general assembly next year in Germany, the benchmark has been set very high. Global international standardization is the engine that really drives prosperity, international and global trade. That is why we need to support it. We even have a rule in the German Institute for Standardization that every global standardization initiative has priority over regional and national standards.

Christoph Winterhalter, chairman of the German Institute for Standardization

(China Daily 09/19/2016 page24)