ESPEC Technical Information

Technical Report
The Standards System and Conformity Assessment System in China

Yang Hao, Test Consulting Service Headquarters, ESPEC CORP.

Abstract
The China Standards System has been established in accordance with international rules. This
system places a high priority on national standards 1 that are highly consistent with international
standards2. This makes the details of the China Standards System easy to understand. However,
there seem to be frequent problems and inadequate on-site handling of the implementation of the
national standards (including conformity assessment) due to various reviews and revisions of the
details, and the application of various regulations and bylaws to the enforcement of the national
standards. This report includes an overview of the China Standards System focusing on the national
standards, followed by an overview of the implementation status of those national standards,
particularly the conformity assessment (certification and accreditation) system, based on specific case
studies. The purpose of this report is to provide a better understanding of the national standards.

1. The China Standards System

1.1 History of the China Standards System
China launched the reform and opening-up policy, aimed at transitioning the country to a market
economy, in 1978. To accelerate development of the market economy and technological progress,
the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China enacted and promulgated the
Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as “the Old Law”) in
1988 to fully promote standardization within China.
In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and sought to rebuild its standardization
system consistent with WTO rules. The system specifically sought to ensure transparency in the
development of mandatory standards, recommended standards, and conformity assessment
(certification and accreditation) procedures in accordance with the TBT 3 Agreement imposed on
WTO member states, and adopted various regulations based on international standards and
guidelines.
In 2018, with the rapid development of the market economy and the expansion of economic
globalization, the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China was completely revised
(hereinafter referred to as the “New Law”). In the 30 years since the Old Law was first enforced, the

1
National standards are often referred to as GB Standards (where “GB” stands for “guojia
biaozhun”, Chinese for “national standard”).
2 International standards include ISO, IEC, and ITU standards.
3 TBT stands for Technical Barriers to Trade.

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number of national standards enforced increased from 16,192 in 1989 to 37,255 in 2019 (with 13,425
standards corresponding to international standards). These standards had a significant impact on
quality improvements in Chinese products and on the development of foreign economic relationships.

1.2 Organization of the China Standards System

Under the general rules outlined in the New Law, “standards” are defined as technical requirements
that must be unified in fields such as agriculture, industry, service industry, and social enterprise. The
hierarchy of these standards includes national standards followed by industry standards, provincial
standards, group standards, and finally corporate standards. National standards are further divided
into mandatory standards and recommended standards (or voluntary standards; including guidelines).
Each type of standard is defined as follows.
Mandatory standards: Technical requirements that meet the basic needs of human health and life,
property security, national security, ecological environment security, and economic and social
management.
Recommended standards: Technical requirements that meet demands such as basic and general-
purpose demands while being related to mandatory standards and playing an important role in related
industries.
The New Law stipulates that, if the production, sale, import, or provision of services of a product
does not meet the mandatory standards, or if the products produced by the company or the services
it provides do not meet the technical requirements of the published standard, the company shall be
responsible for any resulting civil matters. In other words, if no applicable mandatory standards exist,
the manufacturer is supposed to work based on the recommended standards.
Per the WTO, mandatory standards are only the minimum standards that must be observed in
consideration of personal safety, health, the environment, and other such aspects. As such, in practice,
many recommended standards are enforced by including them in conformity assessment laws for
Chinese products and services, giving such standards the same legal weight as mandatory standards.
This means that, in many cases, worksites are required to meet standards that include “/T” (the
symbol for recommended standards) at the end of the name. This is one point that must be carefully
noted.
Under the New Law, industry standards and provincial standards are essentially recommended
standards. These standards are not given as high importance as national standards, and although
they are used in conformity assessment, the citation rate is extremely low. Taking the conformity
assessment system of China Compulsory Certification (CCC) as an example, the citation rate for
industry standards is about 6%, which is not very high. However, because industry standards are not
as relevant as international standards, understanding them can be a bit difficult, so particular attention
is required.
In general, national standards are classified according to their properties into basic standards,
product standards, method standards, and safety, health care, and environmental protection
standards. Each classification is defined as follows.

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Basic standards: Standards that serve as guidelines based on other standards in certain fields.
Product standards: Technical regulations regarding product structure, specifications, quality, and
inspection methods.
Method standards: Standards covering product performance and quality inspection and testing
methods.
Safety, health care, and environmental protection standards: Standards related to the safety of
people and things, the health of people, and the protection of the environment.
As of January 2020, the number of enforced standards according to level, attribute, and
classification, and the status of compliance with international standards—based on information
released by Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC)—are
summarized as shown in Fig. 1. The data indicate that basic standards and method standards are
compliant with international standards at a higher rate, and many product standards and safety, health
care, and environmental protection standards have been established uniquely in China.

Fig. 1 — Number of enforced standards according to level, attribute, and classification,

and the status of compliance with international standards
Number of enforcements of standards categorized by level Number of enforcements of GB standards
Number of categorized by classification
Standard hierarchy Enforcement division
enforcements Standard Number of
Standardization administrative divisions of the attributes enforcements
National standards 37,402
State Council of the People’s Republic of China Mandatory
Related administrative divisions of the State 2,099
Industry standards 68,422 standards
Council of the People’s Republic of China Recommended
Provincial standardization (prefectural or higher) 34,928
Provincial standards 65,523 standards
administrative division Guidelines 375
Group standards Social groups -
Corporate standards Corporations -
Number of enforcements of GB standards by category and status of compliance with international standards
Number of Number of standards compliant International standard
Classification
enforcements with international standards introduction rate
Basic standards 7,203 3,310 46%
Product standards 12,322 3,446 28%
Method standards 13,451 5,464 41%
Safety, health care and
4,426 1,224 28%
environmental protection standards
Total 37,402 13,444 36%

Created based on information published in reference 5 (as of January 8, 2020)

1.3 Application Status of Various Chinese Standards

This section will look at the application status of various Chinese standards introduced in the
previous section based on case studies from the automobile industry. As of the writing of this report,
there are 379 GB standards for automobile product established by the National Technical Committee
of Auto Standardization (NTCAS) (TC114) and 674 automobile industry standards (symbol: QC)
registered by the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC). Out of all
1,023 standards, only one mandatory standard could be identified by its symbol. However, there is
significant skepticism about how manufacturers and users are actually applying these standards.
Table 1 is an example of relative standards for main power train and electronic equipment, collected
from automobile-related national and industry standards. The standards above the double lines are
often classified as mandatory standards because the targeted products are clear and they are cited
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in actual compulsory certification regulations implemented for products. The standards below the
double lines, however, apply to a large range of products and are currently applied as recommended
standards unless specified otherwise.
Table 1 — Relative standards for main power train and electronic equipment
Standard number Standard name Attribute
GB/T 18488.1-2015 General specification of the electrical machines and controllers for electric vehicles Mandatory
GB/T 18488.2-2015 General specification of the electrical machines and controllers for electric vehicles Mandatory
GB/T 36282-2018 Electromagnetic compatibility requirements and test methods of drive motor system for electric vehicles Mandatory
GB/T 18387-2017 Limits and test method of magnetic and electric field strength from eletric vehicles Mandatory
QC/T 926-2013 The reliability test methods for powertrain unit of light-duty hybrid electric vehicles (ISG type) Recommended
GB/T 24347-2009 The DC/DC converter for electric vehicles Recommended
GB/T 31467.1-2015 Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for Electric vehicles—Part 1: Test specification for High power applications Mandatory
GB/T 31467.2-2015 Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for Electric vehicles—Part 2: Test specification for High energy applications Mandatory
GB/T 31467.3-2015 Lithium-ion traction battery pack and system for Electric vehicles—Part 3: Safety requirements and test methods Mandatory
GB/T 31484-2015 Cycle life requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle Mandatory
GB/T 31485-2015 Safety requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicl Mandatory
GB/T 31486-2015 Electrical performance requirements and test methods for traction battery of electric vehicle Mandatory
QC/T 742-2006 Lead-acid batteries for electric vehicles Mandatory
GB/T 18333.2-2015 Zinc-air batteries for electric road vehicle Mandatory
QC/T 741-2006 Ultra-capacitor for electric vehicles Mandatory
GB/T 28046.1-2011 Road vehicles—Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment—Part 1: General Recommended
GB/T 28046.2-2011 Road vehicles—Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment—Part 2: Electrical loads Recommended
GB/T 28046.3-2011 Road vehicles—Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment—Part 3: Mechanical loads Recommended
GB/T 28046.4-2011 Road vehicles—Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment—Part 4: Climatic loads Recommended
GB/T 28046.5-2013 Road vehicles—Environmental conditions and testing for electrical and electronic equipment—Part 5: Chemical loads Recommended
Road vehicles—Component test methods for electrical/electronic disturbances from narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy
GB/T 33014.1-2016 Recommended
—Part 1: General
Road vehicles—Component test methods for electrical/electronic disturbances from narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy
GB/T 33014.2-2016 Recommended
—Part 2: Absorber-lined shielded enclosure
Road vehicles—Component test methods for electrical/electronic disturbances from narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy
GB/T 33014.3-2016 Recommended
—Part 3: Transverse electromagnetic (TEM) cell
Road vehicles—Component test methods for electrical/electronic disturbances from narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy
GB/T 33014.4-2016 Recommended
—Part 4: Bulk current injection (BCI)
Road vehicles—Component test methods for electrical/electronic disturbances from narrowband radiated electromagnetic energy
GB/T 33014.5-2016 Recommended
—Part 5: Stripline
Created based on information published in references 5 and 8

Often, recommended standards are self-declared by manufacturers as proof of product quality and
are used in conformity assessments by third-party testing laboratories. For example, at least five
Japan-invested automotive electrical and electronic equipment manufactures that have expanded into
China have already received national accreditation for GB/T 28046 listed above, contributing to
improved local product brand power by using recommended standards in quality assurance. Let’s
take a closer look at the basic information regarding GB/T 28046 and its cited and referenced
standards.

Table 2 — Basic information on GB/T 28046 Road vehicles:

Environmental conditions and test standard for electrical and electronic equipment
Enforcement division
Administrative division
Referenced standard
Target products
Hierarchy, attributes, properties
GB/T 28046-4
National Technical Committee of Auto
Standardization (NTCAS) (TC114)
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
(MIIT)
ISO 16750-4
Electrical and electronic equipment in road vehicles
National standards, recommended standards,
method standards
Referenced standards: GB/T 2423 series
National Electrical and Electronic Product Environmental Conditions and
Environmental Testing Standardization Committee (TC8)
Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC)
IEC 60068 series
Electrical and electronic equipment
National standards, recommended standards, method standards

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Table 3 — Correspondence table between GB/T 28046-4:2011 cited standard (ISO 16750-4:2006)
and referenced standards (IEC 60068 series)
Referenced standards: Referenced standards:
Test name GB/T 28046-4 ISO16750-4
GB/T 2423 series IEC 60068 series
Low-temperature tests, Storage/Operation test 5.1.1 GB/T 2423.1 5.1.1.1 IEC 60068-2-1
High-temperature tests, Storage/Operation test 5.1.2 GB/T 2423.2 5.1.2.1 IEC 60068-2-2
GB/T 2423.1/ IEC 60068-2-1/
Temperature steps 5.2 5.2
GB/T 2423.2 IEC 60068-2-2

Temperature cycle with specified change rate 5.3.1 GB/T 2423.22 Nb 5.3.1 IEC 60068-2-14 Nb

Rapid change of temperature with specified transition duration 5.3.2 GB/T 2423.22 Na 5.3.2 IEC 60068-2-14 Na

Splash water method 5.4.2 - 5.4.2 -

Submersion test 5.4.3 GB/T 30038 5.4.3 ISO 20653

Salt spray tests, Corrosion test 5.5.1 GB/T 2423.18 5.5.1 IEC 60068-2-52
Leakage and function test 5.5.2 GB/T 2423.17 5.5.2 IEC 60068-2-11
Humid heat, cyclic test Corresponding item not adopted
- 5.6.1 -
(Test 1: Damp heat cyclic test) due to irrelevance
Humid heat, cyclic test
5.6.2.2 GB/T 2423.4 Db 5.6.2 IEC 60068-2-30 Db
(Test 2: Composite temperature/humidity cyclic test)
Humid heat, cyclic test
5.6.2.3 GB/T 2423.34 Z/AD 5.6.3 IEC 60068-2-38 Z/AD
(Test 2: Composite temperature/humidity cyclic test)
Damp heat, steady-state test 5.7 GB/T 2423.3 5.7 IEC 60068-2-78
Corrosion test with flow of mixed gas 5.8 GB/T 2423.51 5.8.1 IEC 60068-2-60
Solar radiation 5.9 GB/T 2423.24/- 5.9 IEC 60068-2-5/DIN 75220
Protection against dust and water 7 GB/T 30038 7 ISO 20653

Table 2 shows the basic information regarding GB/T 28046, and Table 3 shows information on the
cited standard, ISO 16750-4, and the referenced standards. As shown in Table 2, the divisions
responsible for enforcement and administration of GB/T 28046 and the GB/T 2423 series (referenced
standards) are not the same. As such, consultation with both divisions is necessary when confirming
the details of the standard. The referenced standard ISO 16750-4 in Table 3, which becomes a cited
standard, is an IEC 60068 series general electrical and electronic equipment test standard and highly
consistent with international standards, so the test conditions for each item are easy to understand.
The important point to note here is that ISO 16750-4 includes test conditions specific to automobiles,
including dustproof and waterproof testing and solar radiation testing, so separate confirmation is
required.
In September 2019, ESPEC renewed the facilities at the Toyota Testing Center, introducing the
ability to perform testing compliant with JASO D014, LV 124, and GB/T 28046 standards—based on
ISO 16750 4 —expanding the supported test evaluation fields for manufacturers working toward
globalization of electrification and automation. For overseas bases in china, feel free to contact us
about conformity assessment of automotive electrical components in compliance with this standard
within China, as our overseas base for contract testing, ESPEC Test Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.,
has ISO 16750 testing accreditation for independent laboratory testing services in China.

4
Compliant with ISO 16750-3 and -4 standard tests with the exception of some conditions.
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2. Implementation of the China Standards System

2.1 China Standards System Management Organization
The management organization for the China Standards System is shown in Fig. 2. In accordance
with the Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Regulations of the People’s
Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation, the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) has the authority
to oversee standardization business activities throughout China. The Standardization Administration
of the People’s Republic of China (SAC)—a subordinate entity of the AQSIQ—is responsible for the
establishing, coordinating, implementing, and supervising various standards.

Fig. 2 — Organizational structure of the administrative divisions of the quality supervision,

inspection, and quarantine field in China

State Council of the People’s

Republic of China

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ)

Standardization administrativ e div ision of the

State Council of the People’s Republic of China:
Certification and Accreditation
Standardization Administration of the People’s Administration of the People’s
Republic of China (SAC) Republic of China (CNCA)

Related administrativ e div isions of the

State Council of the People’s Republic
Provincial standardization
Technical committee (prefectural or higher)
China National Accreditation Service
of China: Ministry of Industry and for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)
(SAC/TC) Inf ormation Technology , etc. Administrative division

Provincial industrial and information Local Quality Supervision and

Subcommittees (SCs) technology committees, etc.
Social groups, corporations
Inspection Authority

Provincial, group, and China Quality Certification

National standards Industry standards corporate standards Center (CQC)
Establishment, coordination, implementation, and supervision of standards Certif ication and accreditation
management

Created based on content in references 1, 2, 3, and 4

The Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) is the administrative
division in the State Council of the People’s Republic of China responsible for supervising
standardization. The SAC, responsible for regulatory, coordinate and executive authority of national
standards, mainly performs the following roles.
(1) Coordination, revision, and abolition of national standards, and evaluation and supervision of
implementation.
(2) Registration of industry standards and provincial standards. Standardization, guidance, and
supervision of group standards.
(3) Involvement in international standardization activities, and foreign cooperation and exchanges
related to standardization.
(4) Unified management of technical committees.

Technical committees (TCs) are composed of producers, managers, users, merchandisers, and
public interest parties (educational institutions, administrative divisions, inspection certification bodies,
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and social organizations). These committees’ main responsibilities are as follows.

(1) Planning of national standardization strategies and standardization systems in specialized
fields.
(2) Establishment, technical examination, and interpretation of national standards.
(3) Evaluation of national standards and comparative analysis with international standards.
As of January 2020, the Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC)
had announced 552 specialized technical committees (TCs) and 760 subcommittees (SCs).
As indicated in the above management organization, industrial, provincial, and group standards are
set by the Chinese government in addition to national standards. In addition, although the
Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) is the department involved
with the promulgation of standards, there may be multiple related administrative divisions in reality
under the related administrative departments of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
This means confirmation from multiple related organizations with various means of contact is required,
so understanding how Chinese national standards are enforced is important.

2.2 Conformity Assessment System in China

The conformity assessment system is inseparable from the standardization system, and the various
standards established under the standardization system constitute the rules and standards applied
during conformity assessment. However, the conformity assessment system must operate in
accordance with international rules, so various conformity assessment procedures and requirements
set forth by conformity assessment institutions tend to be consistent with international standards.
As stipulated in the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation,
the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA), an
AQSIQ sub-agency equivalent to the Japan Accreditation Board (JAB), carries out conformity
assessment (certification and accreditation) activities under a nationally unified certification,
accreditation, and supervision system with the authority of the State Council of the People’s Republic
of China. The Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC), which together
with the Local Quality Supervision and Inspection Authority forms the administrative divisions of the
quality supervision, inspection, and quarantine field in China, is responsible for management of both
standardization and conformity assessment in China.
(See Fig. 2).
In recent years, the conformity assessment system in China has become relatively well developed
following the restructuring of the China Standards system. According to the conformity assessment
schemes shown in Table 4, the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment
(CNAS) is responsible for basic approval of Testing and Inspection Laboratories Accreditation and
Certification Bodies Accreditation designated by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
Evaluation organizations certified and accredited by the CNAS can then perform special accreditation
and certification in various specialized fields.

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Table 4 — Chinese conformity assessment schemes (17th revision, June 12, 2019)

Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA)

Administrative division Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation
(Order of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, No. 390, September 3, 2003)
China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)
Accrediting authority
GB/T 27011-2005 (ISO/IEC 17011:2004)
Accreditation type Testing and Inspection Laboratories Accreditation Certification Bodies Accreditation
International MRA International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) International Accreditation Forum (IAF)
Regional MRA Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC) Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC)
Testing and Personnel
Management System Product Certification
Evaluation organization Calibration Inspection Bodies Medical Laboratories Certification
Laboratories Certification Bodies Bodies
Bodies
Accreditation standard GB/T 27025 GB/T 27020 GB/T 22576.1 GB/T 27021.1-5 GB/T 27065 GB/T 27024
(Basic accreditation) ISO/IEC 17025 ISO/IEC 17020 ISO 15189 ISO/IEC 17021 ISO/IEC 17065 ISO/IEC 17024
Personnel
Samples Products/Services Samples Organizations Processes/Products
Evaluation targets competence
(Specialized accreditation) Competence
Test standard Inspection standard Inspection method Quality control system Product standards
standards
Created based on the accreditation system chart (CNAS-ASC01: 2012) published by China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) in reference 6

Although the terms “Certification” and “Accreditation” can be confusing, they mean different things
in terms of international standards. According to the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China
on Certification and Accreditation, the definitions promulgated by the State Council of the People’s
Republic of China are as follows.
Certification: Refers to a pass rating for assessment performed by a certification body,
demonstrating that a product, service, or management system complies with the relative technical
specification, the compulsory requirements of the relative technical specification, or standards.
Accreditation: Refers to a pass rating for assessment performed by an accrediting authority,
demonstrating the competence and qualifications of individuals to perform certification activities,
including certification bodies, accredited testing laboratories and individuals engaged in evaluation,
examination, and other related certification activities.
Chinese conformity assessment schemes are constructed according to international rules, making
them very easy to understand even from an international perspective. In particular, all the certification
and accreditation standards and requirements applied during basic accreditation by evaluation
organizations are international standards.
In 2004, I was involved in establishing the abovementioned ESPEC Test Technology (Shanghai)
Co., Ltd. Since this laboratory opened, the quality control system has operated based on
ISO/IEC 17025, and after business operations got on track in 2005, specialized accreditation
applications for laboratory accreditation and calibration agency accreditation were submitted to the
China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS), as outlined in Table 5.

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Table 5 — [ESPEC Test Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.]

CNAS laboratory accreditation application overview5

Specialized accreditation details Testing Laboratory Accreditation Calibration Laboratory Accreditation

Accreditation standard ISO/IEC 17025 (Laboratory accreditation standard) ISO/IEC 17025 (Calibration agency accreditation standard)

Accreditation class Optional accreditation Semi-compulsory certification*

GB/T 2423.1- (Temperature and humidity environment test
Test/calibration standards JJF-1101 (Temperature and humidity measurement standard)
standard)
Corresponding international
IEC 60068.1- (Basic environment test standard) None
standard
National Electrical and Electronic Product Environmental
Enforcement division Conditions and Environmental Testing Standardization National Temperature Measurement Technical Committee
Committee

In retrospect, the CNAS evaluation of the laboratory’s management and technical abilities
proceeded relatively smoothly because the laboratory accreditation was carried out based completely
on international rules. However, the calibration agency accreditation compliance standard was
approved according to the National Metrology Law of China, and no corresponding international
standards exist, so a variety of problems needed to be addressed, from the preparation of standard
equipment to the analysis of calibration uncertainty. As a result, the laboratory consulted significantly
with the local metrology division.
As such, the ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation acquired by ESPEC Test Technology (Shanghai) Co.,
Ltd. as a private laboratory proved useful for parts standard conformance testing for automobile
manufacturers, laboratory accreditation from the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
(ILAC), handling of conformity assessment by a third-party certification system for products, and
public relations for the technical abilities as a testing location.
The next section of this report provides a brief explanation of the unique conformity assessment
system of China Compulsory Certification (CCC), a system that makes it extremely difficult for private
laboratories to become certified. The conformity assessment system of China Compulsory
Certification (CCC) is a new certification system established by the General Administration of Quality
Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) and the
Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) that was put
into effect in May 2002. This conformity assessment system covers the safety, EMC, and other factors
of products sold in China. Under the system, commercial activities for products that have not acquired
CCC since August 2003 are prohibited, including shipment within China, and import and sales to
China.
The targeted products for compulsory conformity assessment are currently classified into 19
categories with 142 items. Due to the diverse purpose of compulsory conformity assessment for
products, conformity assessment is carried out by a variety of entities. At present there are about 26
different entities, mostly made up of relative government departments, certification bodies, and

5
Semi-compulsory certification*: The accreditation classification is semi-compulsory because it is
often carried out once a year according to the quality control manual for users of environmental test
chambers.
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industry groups. The conformity assessment schemes are implemented through specific legislation
and certification bodies, and there is no Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between conformity
assessment systems.
The roles of the relevant divisions involved in the compulsory conformity assessment system are
as follows.
Table 6 — Division of roles of conformity assessment system of China Compulsory Certification (CCC)
Function Division Role

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and
Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ)
Certification supervision
Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s
Republic of China (CNCA)
Implementation, management, and coordination of national
compulsory product certification
Product catalog setting, certification body designation, certification
standard setting

Certification and accreditation
implementation
Certification activity
implementation
China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment
Certification body accreditation, evaluation, and auditing
(CNAS)
Designated Certification Bodies(CBs): 26 entities, including the Confirmation of equivalence of conformity assessment results
China Quality Certification Center (CQC) through conformity assessment system of China Compulsory
Designated CB Testing Laboratories(CBTLs): 211 companies Certification (CCC) per relevant laws and regulations

The following section provides an example of a compulsory conformity assessment (CCC) scheme
using an automobile product (limited to passenger cars). Automobile products are classified into 11
categories, and the conformity assessment scheme is outlined as follows.

Table 7 — Outline of scheme for conformity assessment system of

Administrative division
Designated certification body
Designated testing
organization
Governing laws
Implementation rules
Created based on information published in references 7, 8, and 9
China Compulsory Certification (CCC) of automobile products
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ),
Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA)
China Quality Certification Center (CQC), Tianjin Huacheng Certification Center (CAQC), China Certification Centre
for Automotive Products (CCAP)
CATARC Automotive Test Center (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.;
National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Motor Vehicle Products Quality (Shanghai);
Chongqing Vehicle Test & Research Institute Co., Ltd.;
National Center of Supervision and Inspection on Motor Vehicle Products Quality (Chongqing);
National Automobile Quality Supervision and Test Center (Changchun);
National Automobile Quality Supervision and Test Center (Xiangyang)
Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation (2016),
Provisions on the Administration of Compulsory Product Certification (2009)
Public Notice Regarding Adjustment of Automotive Product Compulsory Certification Standards (2017)
CNCA C11-01-2014 Implementation Rules for Compulsory Product Certification - Motor Vehicles
CNCA-00C-003-2013 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Rules -
Manufacturing enterprise classification management, certification mode selection and determination
CNCA-00C-004-2013 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Rules -
Utilization of manufacturing enterprise test resources and other certification results
CNCA-00C-005-2014 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Rules -
Factory quality assurance capability requirements
CNCA-00C-006-2014 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Rules -
General requirements for factory inspection

Detailed rules CQC C1101-2014 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Detailed Rules - Motor Vehicle
CAC C11-01-2019 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Detailed Rules - Motor Vehicle
CCAP-C11-01-2014 China Compulsory Certification Implementation Detailed Rules - Motor Vehicle

1. General safety, 2. Passive safety, 3. Energy conservation and environmental protection, 4. Lighting and signaling
Compulsory certification equipment, 5. Noise and chassis, 6. Dedicated device and functional test
test items
6 major items and 159 subitems of national and industry standard conformance tests required.

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This scheme includes information such as administrators, practitioners, governing laws, the
implementation program (implementation rules and detailed rules), and test standards. The
framework itself is constructed according to the ISO/IEC 17000 series conformity assessment
standards, but three points may be confusing and difficult to understand from an international
perspective.
(1) Because the assessment is carried out by certain Certification Bodies (CBs) and CB Testing
Laboratories (CBTLs), so a significant amount of effort is spent on inquiries regarding
certification costs, implementation periods, implementation details, and other information.
(2) Because the laws governing the conformity assessment and the implementation program
details change unexpectedly, it is important to always pay attention to the latest policy trends.
(3) The WTO/TBT recommends that any international standards for conformity assessment
systems in a member country should be used as a basis, but for new technology fields,
compliance with numerous national and industry standards is often still required.
These three points are expected to be further improved in the current Chinese compulsory
conformity assessment system.

3. Conclusion
The GB standards—the Chinese national standards—are equivalent to Japan’s JIS standards, and
for any Japanese company expanding into China, prompt compliance to the GB standards is essential
for the safe and reliable success of business within the country. Moreover, the certification period and
costs related to compulsory product conformity assessment system of China Compulsory Certification
(CCC) can be reduced through timely collection of certification information, smooth coordination with
the various responsible organizations, proper configuration of certification units, and reliable
implementation of certification requests.
With more than a decade of experience with conformity assessment in China, ESPEC keeps a
close eye on the law and standard information sent by the government-led standardization bodies
and conformity assessment agencies. ESPEC is dedicated to making use of its own experiences to
help companies entering the Chinese market solve the aforementioned problems in any way possible.

References:
1) Standardization Law of the People’s Republic of China, the National People’s Congress of the
People’s Republic of China
2) Measures for the Administration of the China National Standardization Technical Committee,
General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s
Republic of China(AQSIQ)
3) Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Certification and Accreditation, the State Council
of the People’s Republic of China
4) Provisions on the Administration of Compulsory Product Certification, General Administration of
Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China

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ESPEC Technical Information

5) Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China (SAC) website

6) China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) website
7) Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) website
8) China Quality Certification Center (CQC) website
9) Designated Compulsory Certification Body and Designated Compulsory certification bodies
pages of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China
(CNCA) website

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