1st LD-Writethru: China legislators consider draft revision to standardization law

Chinese lawmakers on Monday started to review a draft amendment to the Standardization Law.

The draft revision, the first since the law came into force in 1989, was given a first reading at the bimonthly session of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, which opened Monday.

"As economy and social conditions have evolved, some existing clauses are out of date," Tian Shihong, head of the Standardization Administration of China, told lawmakers.

The draft expands the scope of standards to cover sectors, including agriculture, industry, services and social programs. Current standards only cover industrial products, construction and environmental protection.

The draft focuses on the technical requirements of health and safety, national and ecological security, as well as the basic need to manage society and the economy.

The draft calls for a coordination mechanism under the State Council, China's cabinet, to draw up major policies and promote key reforms in standardization.

China will participate in formulation and use of international standards in accordance with the country's actual situation, it said.

Government authorities should review and assess standards on a regular basis, the draft noted, adding that information on mandatory standards should be freely available to the public. Endi