ISO returns to China to set international standards

The latest General Assembly of the International Organization for Standardization held in Beijing last week attracted experts on standardization from around the globe.

Representatives from 163 ISO members, leaders of regional standardization organizations from Europe, America and the Asia-Pacific region, and representatives from 14 international organizations including the International Electrotechnical Commission, the World Bank and World Trade Organization attended the 39th ISO General Assembly, which was held between Sept 12 and 14.

It was the second time that China hosted such an event in the international standardization sphere. The other one took place in 1999.

As a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization, which is the biggest international organization for standardization in the world, China is a permanent member of the ISO Council.

Authorized by the State Council of China, the Standardization Administration represents China to take part in activities of ISO.

The current president of ISO is Zhang Xiaogang, a Chinese expert in standardization.

More than 2,900 experts from China have participated in the formulation of ISO standards, and the number of China-led ISO standards has now reached 189.

Founded in February 1947 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO included 163 members by the end of 2015, covering 98 percent of global GDP and 97 percent of the world's total population.

The organization has established more than 20,000 international standards, which play important roles in establishing a global governance system and facilitating international trade.

(China Daily 09/19/2016 page12)