State Council Stresses Need to Strengthen Quality Certification System and ‘Total Quality Management’

On Jan 27, the State Council released the Opinions on Strengthening the Development of the Quality Certification System and Total Quality Management (the "Opinions"). This is the first time that certification and accreditation have been raised at the State Council level. The Opinions state the plan and major tasks for national certification and accreditation work in the upcoming three to five years.
 
In this time the government aims to complete China’s quality certification system, improve system of laws, regulations, and standards, maintain the quality level of Chinese products, significantly improve services and engineering projects, and form a group of brands with competitiveness on the global market.
 
Accordingly, the Opinions emphasize six major tasks to achieve these objectives, including: 

• Advancing standards and methods of quality management;
• Launching campaigns to update the quality management system;
• Deepening reform and innovation of the quality certification system;
• Strengthening supervision and inspection during and after certification;
• Developing testing and certification services;
• Deepen international cooperation on Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) in quality certification.

 
These relevant policies and campaigns will not impact OEMs directly, but will have high relevance to local suppliers and manufactures along supply chains.