Experts highlight cooperation in int'l manufacturing standards at forum in Shanghai

Experts discussed pathways to building international standards in manufacturing to help eliminate barriers to trade at a sub-forum on the sidelines of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum in Shanghai.

As an important part of the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the Hongqiao International Economic Forum is taking place in Shanghai in tandem with the expo from Nov 5 to 10, inviting more than 260 distinguished guests from political, business and academic circles.

The sub-forum, hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the National Standardization Administration, attracted about 200 Chinese and foreign guests from standardization research institutions and enterprises in the manufacturing field. The guests had discussions around the need for international standards and future development directions of intelligent manufacturing.

The sub-forum also included an outcome announcement in which the State Administration for Market Regulation released 337 foreign language versions of China's national standards and an international standardization roadmap for smart manufacturing.

"The 337 foreign language versions of national standards include English, French, Portuguese, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Lao and more, and also cover more industrial categories such as mechanical equipment and energy. Nearly 70 percent of them are related to the manufacturing field, which will help us focus on developing new quality productive forces and promote high-quality development of the manufacturing industry," said Guo Chenguang, deputy director of the Standard Innovation Department under the State Administration for Market Regulation.

To date, China has published 2,263 national standards in 11 languages, covering more than 20 fields of the national economy, including agricultural products, food, electronics and electrical appliances.

"I think it's good news. The main efforts you have embarked on is to internationalize the national Chinese standard. Through participation in the ISO system, the Chinese standards can become international standards, as accepted and recognized by everywhere. Through that, we eliminate technical barriers to trade. That is the way where you can facilitate international trade," said Sergio Mujica, secretary general of the International Standardization Organization.

Experts highlight cooperation in int'l manufacturing standards at forum in Shanghai

China has become a leader in global green transformation, and has provided rich experience and cases for the world, said Erik Solheim, former UN Under-Secretary-General.

The newest edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports, and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum opened in Shanghai on Tuesday.

Solheim, who now serves as the co-chair of the Europe-Asia Center, is among the guests to attend the Hongqiao International Economic Forum. In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) prior to the forum, he shared his opinion on China’s pursuit of green development based on his own inspections. Solheim also said he is full of expectations for this year's Hongqiao International Economic Forum.

"So I expect a very strong message about Chinese leadership in the green transformation and of course also Chinese leadership in the economic recovery of the world. China is a huge economy, five percent economic growth in China is very good for China, but it's also very good for the world. So this strong message of economic recovery and green transformation, I hope we will see from this forum," he said.

Solheim said that China's green transformation is not only changing China, but also has a huge impact on the development of many countries across the globe. China's green development provides more inspiration and opportunities for the world, he noted.

"When President Xi three years ago announced that China will stop all overseas coal investment. It had an immediate impact, because then, of course, Indonesia or Pakistan or Bangladesh or Canada said 'well, China will not invest in our coal but they can invest in solar and wind and hydro power. So we can go green with Chinese assistance,'" said Solheim.

Solheim said that he hopes that through high-level exchange platforms such as the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, representatives of more countries can engage in constructive dialogues with Chinese politicians and company leaders and learn from China's pollution control practices and experiences.

Former UN Under-Secretary-General hails China's pursuit of green development