Technological supremacy

A technical standard also provides a first-mover advantage. The pace of innovation rests with the entity controlling the standards process.[10] Technological growth and innovation in the specific sector can be subjected to getting patent approvals and licenses from the entity setting the standard. This can have major repercussions on how the specific technology ecosystem operates globally.

Creating benchmarks through technical standards in high-value-added sectors with the help of the private sector can help reinforce China’s role in the international arena. As more Chinese private firms gain influence worldwide, more countries will be influenced by Chinese technology in international standard-setting bodies.

Key takeaways from the NSD outline document

This increased focus on the technical standard-setting domain set the stage for the ‘Standards 2035’ Project by the Chinese leadership, as they saw immense political and economic value in setting technical standards.[11] The standards project attempts to design the regulatory environment for the use of key sectors, improving its manufacturing output and helping solidify the country’s place in the global supply chains of emerging and critical sectors of the economy.

To streamline the process of standard setting and goals of the “China Standards 2035” (中国标准 2035) project, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council of China released the ‘National Standardization Development Outline’ (国家标准化发展纲要) (NSD) in October 2021.

The National Standardization Development Outline (国家标准化发展纲要) (NSD) is the first major document in the public domain on China’s standardization strategy. The NSD visualizes a standardized system that promotes high-tech innovation and “opening up” the technology sector while also leading to high-quality development.

Standards as enablers for technological innovation and competition