Analysis and Reflections on the "National Standardization Development Outline"

The "National Standardization Development Outline" (hereinafter referred to as the "Outline") sets goals and draws a blueprint for the development of standardization in China. This article interprets ten aspects of the standardization field and directions in the "Outline" in combination with the development needs of the quality service industry, and proposes work suggestions for the development of the quality service industry.

1. Introduction

In October 2021, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "National Standardization Development Outline" (hereinafter referred to as the "Outline"). The full text of the "Outline" can be divided into three sections: overall requirements, main tasks, and organizational implementation. It covers all aspects of national economy and people's livelihood, lays out the important tasks of standardization development itself and serving economic and social development, and points out the direction and goals of standardization development.

Standards, as the benchmark of quality work, are especially important in the quality service industry. Taking the implementation of the "Outline" as an opportunity, to promote the improvement of the standard system and mechanism in the quality service industry, explore research fields, and implement standards, and better play the guiding role of standards in inspection, testing, and certification, this article analyzes the "Outline" in ten aspects combined with the standardization development of the quality service industry, and proposes work suggestions for standardization in the quality service field.

2. Interpretation of the Outline

1. Standards are the technical support for economic activities and social development and an important aspect of the country's fundamental system. Standardization plays a foundational and leading role in promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.

Analysis: For the first time, the major document of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council accurately elaborates on the positioning and significance of standards and standardization, using terms such as "technical support," "important aspect," "foundational," and "leading" to define the important role of standards and standardization. This reflects the emphasis on standardization work, and the country's standardization work will usher in a good opportunity for rapid development. The quality service industry should seize this opportunity to vigorously improve the level of standardization, expand the breadth and depth of standard formulation, serve the development of emerging national strategic fields, and the high-quality transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, fully playing the leading role of standards in development.

2. The development goals section of the "Outline" points out: By 2025, the supply of standards will shift from government-led to a balance between government and market; the application of standards will shift from mainly industry and trade to the entire economic and social domain; standardization work will shift from domestic-driven to mutual promotion between domestic and international; and standardization development will shift from quantity and scale-oriented to quality and efficiency-oriented.

Analysis: The "four shifts" fully reflect the overall management ideas and development trends of China's standardization work during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Future standard formulation and revision will pay more attention to market guidance, the depth and breadth of standard services, internationalization of standards, and the quality of standard formulation and revision, pointing the way for quality service enterprises to better carry out standardization work.

3. The development goals section of the "Outline" points out: Deep development of all-domain standardization. The ratio of standard research results formed by common key technologies and applied science and technology projects will reach over 50%. The structure of government-issued standards and market self-developed standards will be further optimized. The average formulation cycle of national standards will be shortened to within 18 months.

Analysis: All-domain standardization includes not only the traditional primary, secondary, and tertiary industries but also social undertakings. It is foreseeable that standardization in social fields such as elderly care, sports, education, and insurance will accelerate. On the basis of consolidating standardization in traditional fields such as agriculture, health, safety, and environment, the demand for standards in emerging industries will become more urgent and prominent. The "Outline" clearly states that the ratio of standard results formed by common key technologies and applied science and technology projects will reach over 50%, indicating closer integration of scientific research and standards in the future. Previously, the formulation cycle of national standards was usually over 30 months; this time, the "Outline" clearly proposes shortening the average formulation cycle to within 18 months. Therefore, the procedures for standard formulation, revision, and approval will be reformed and adjusted, greatly improving the efficiency of standard formulation and release. The conversion rate of national standards to international standards will reach over 85%, indicating that China will greatly strengthen the formulation and revision of international standards and actively strive for a voice in various international standardization organizations. The "Outline" proposes building a batch of quality standard laboratories and national technical standard innovation bases, forming a national quality infrastructure system integrating standards, metrology, certification and accreditation, and inspection and testing. By 2035, a standardization work pattern of "government guidance and enterprise dominance" will be formed.

4. The section on strengthening standard research in key technology fields in the "Outline" points out: Carry out standardization research in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum information, and biotechnology. Accelerate the industrialization of new technologies and promote industrial transformation.

Analysis: The "Outline" clearly points out the standard research tasks in 17 key technology fields including artificial intelligence, quantum information, biotechnology, integration of informatization and industrialization, new generation information technology, big data, and blockchain. The quality service industry needs to carry out standard development work in these key technology fields based on actual foundation and market demand, focusing on standard needs in subfields such as inspection and testing, certification, metrology, and evaluation, providing quality service support for breakthroughs in key technologies in these fields.

5. The section on improving standard levels through technological innovation in the "Outline" points out: Establish a linkage mechanism between major scientific and technological projects and standardization work, regard standards as important outputs of scientific and technological plans, and improve the mechanism for transforming scientific and technological achievements into standards. Improve the evaluation mechanism and service system for transforming scientific and technological achievements into standards, and promote standardization work such as technology managers and scientific and technological achievement evaluation services.

Analysis: Promoting the interactive development of standardization and technological innovation is a highlight of the "Outline" and a key to improving the level of standardization. It also helps the transformation and implementation of scientific and technological achievements, connects the industry-university-research-application chain, and effectively plays the strategic support role of science and technology in the national economy. In the future, national scientific and technological project achievements will be more presented in the form of standards. Local governments will further increase rewards for international standards, national standards, and other types of standards. The mechanism for standards in the transformation of scientific and technological achievements will be more mature, and more standard development tasks will be included in various common technology platforms under construction or planned, accelerating the pace of achievement transformation and application.

6. The section on improving industrial standardization levels in the "Outline" points out: Promote industrial optimization and upgrading. Improve the standardization guarantee for green development; accelerate the standardization process of urban and rural construction and social construction.

Analysis: The "Outline" clearly proposes seven projects and five actions involving equipment manufacturing, key industry chain stabilization, new industries, carbon peak and carbon neutrality, public safety, basic public services, new infrastructure, rural revitalization, social governance, urban construction, elderly care, and domestic services. These fields are important for industrial transformation and upgrading and national economy and people's livelihood. Standards will play a greater foundational guarantee role. The quality service industry should follow up on these key fields, carry out comprehensive quality services, promote the improvement of industrial standardization levels, leverage the advantages of quality services, and promote high-quality development in key fields.

7. The section on deepening standardization exchange and cooperation in the "Outline" points out: Actively promote docking and cooperation in the standard field with countries jointly building the "Belt and Road". Strengthen standard support for trade facilitation; promote coordinated development of domestic and international standardization.

Analysis: The "Outline" proposes that by 2025, the openness of standardization will be significantly enhanced, and the conversion rate of international standards will reach over 85%. To achieve these goals, the country will implement a standard internationalization leap project, promote compatibility between Chinese standards and international standard systems, and strengthen international exchanges of standards, such as introducing international standards from developed countries and exporting standards to developing countries and "Belt and Road" countries. It is foreseeable that in the next five years, China's pace of "going global" with standards will significantly accelerate, international standardization work will make remarkable progress, and Chinese standards will gradually take center stage on the international standard stage.

8. The section on optimizing the standard supply structure in the "Outline" points out: Optimize the dual structure of government-issued standards and market self-developed standards. Deepen innovation in the standardization operation mechanism. Promote the integrated development of standards and national quality infrastructure. Strengthen the implementation and application of standards. Enhance supervision of standard formulation and implementation.

Analysis: The "Outline" increases support for the development of standardization. First, it strengthens the development of group standards; second, it deepens the standardization operation mechanism; third, it promotes the integrated development of standards and the national quality infrastructure, enhancing the role of standards in metrology quantification, intelligent inspection and testing, market-oriented certification, and global recognition; fourth, it ensures the implementation and application of standards through legislation and intellectual property protection; fifth, it strengthens government supervision and guidance. These are the highlights of future standardization reform and innovation, which will greatly promote the application of standards and thus maximize the fundamental guarantee role of standards.

9. The section on improving the technical support level of standardization in the "Outline" points out: building a standardization science and technology system led by comprehensive standardization research institutions, with industry, regional, and local standardization research institutions as the backbone. Clause (31) vigorously develops the standardization service industry. It improves policy measures to promote the development of high-tech service industries related to standardization, metrology, certification and accreditation, inspection and testing, and cultivates and expands the market entities of the standardization service industry.

Analysis: The "Outline" will introduce a series of measures in terms of technical support for standardization and standard services. In enhancing technical support for standardization, it builds science and technology systems at national, local, and regional levels and establishes bases for standard research and application. In vigorously developing the standardization service industry, it improves policies for standardizing quality service methods, encourages qualified regions to explore establishing industrial clusters for the standardization service industry, and encourages standardization service organizations to meet the actual needs of small and micro enterprises by integrating upstream and downstream resources to provide comprehensive standardization solutions.

10. The section on strengthening the construction of the standardization talent team in the "Outline" points out: carrying out professional talent training and education in standardization and comprehensive education on the national quality infrastructure to cultivate a professional talent team proficient in international rules and specialized technical skills.

Analysis: Talent is the primary resource for standard research and development. The country will incorporate standardization into education systems at all levels and build a multi-level training system for practitioners, establishing a national standardization think tank. This is conducive to the continuous development and promotion of standardization work. Therefore, future training and cultivation of standardization talent will become an important area of talent development.

III. Conclusion

The quality service industry should fully recognize the great significance of implementing the "Outline," deeply understand its overall requirements, improve the standardization work mechanism suitable for industry development, build a team of standard development talents, increase investment in standard research and development, enhance the standard level of the quality service industry, improve capabilities in inspection, testing, certification, metrology, and other services, while expanding service areas, carrying out standardization services for other industries, and promoting high-quality development across various sectors.