Industry bodies to set new standards

Industry, business and professional associations in China will soon formulate and adopt standards for their respective sectors, which is an organizational innovation, industry insiders said.

A knowledgeable official with the Industry Standards Department of the Standardization Administration of China, who sought anonymity, said, "The Chinese government would like associations and such bodies to adopt standards for their constituent members to meet the demands of the market."

In 2015, the State Council issued a reform plan for deepening standards formulated by associations, breaking the tradition of over-reliance on the government for guidance in such matters, the official said.