CHINA: QINGDAO FORUM ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDIZATION, what you should know

CHINA QINGDAO FORUM

QINGDAO FORUM ON INTERNATIONAL STANDARDIZATION, The province of Shandong in eastern China is sending a message to the rest of the world about the need for SDG standards.

On July 27-28, Qingdao hosted the 2021 Forum. The People’s Government of Shandong Province and the State Administration of Market Regulation organized the conference, with the China Standards Administration, an ISO member, playing a key role (SAC).

The hybrid event, which comprised both virtual and face-to-face exchanges, drew over 300 people from China and around the world. Leaders from the organizing agencies and the SAC, as well as representatives from other ministries and commissions, academics from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and experts from the country’s top research institutes and universities, all attended the event.

In addition to the main conference, the event was divided into four sub-forums and a variety of connected activities. Senior ISO officials were in attendance, as were members from other key standards organizations like the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

In a video conference, ISO President Eddy Njoroge stated how the organization “engages with important international players; we work with international treaties such as the UNFCCC to build strategic roadmaps for a standards system that tackles climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

Mr. Njoroge also discussed the ISO Rising Generation Award, emphasizing the role of former ISO President Zhang Xiaogang of China in the award’s funding. Mr. Njoroge went on to say:

“The award recognizes young professionals from ISO members who support sustainable development standards and the importance of collaborating to address these issues from a multidisciplinary perspective.”

“We know that standards are an engine for growth at ISO, and more broadly in the global standards community, because they open markets, create a level playing field, provide a platform for innovation, and reassure consumers about the quality of the goods and services they use,” Sergio Mujica, a strong advocate for the role of standards in sustainable growth, said.