Promoting the integrated development of domestic and international trade is instrumental in leveraging both the domestic and global markets, thereby enhancing their interconnectedness. In recent years, China has undertaken reforms and practical initiatives focused on aligning standards and certification systems between domestic and foreign trade. These efforts have facilitated the convergence of rules and regulations, significantly advancing the cause of trade integration.
Policy Framework Continuously Enhanced
The General Office of the State Council has issued policy documents such as the "Opinions on Promoting the Integrated Development of Domestic and International Trade" and the "Several Measures to Accelerate the Integrated Development of Domestic and International Trade." These documents provide specific arrangements for fostering integration, assisting enterprises in transitioning smoothly between the domestic and international markets. An inter-ministerial working mechanism has been established to promote this integration. In 2022 alone, over 130 specific measures were implemented to align laws, regulations, quality standards, and certification systems, yielding positive results. In 2025, the General Office of the Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Action Plan to Boost Consumption," explicitly calling for an improvement in the level of domestic and international trade integration.
Accelerated Alignment of Standards and Certification with International Norms
To standardize the adoption of international standards and steadily expand institutional openness in standardization, the State Administration for Market Regulation revised and issued the "Measures for the Administration of Adopting International Standards," expediting the conversion of international standards into domestic ones. Regarding deepening international cooperation and mutual recognition, by the end of 2024, China had cumulatively joined 21 international organizations for certification and accreditation, signed 15 multilateral mutual recognition agreements, and entered into 150 bilateral cooperation documents. The China Compulsory Certification (CCC) process has been continuously optimized, not only reducing costs for enterprises but also accelerating product entry into the domestic market.
Orderly Convergence of Regulatory Rules
In 2022, the filing and registration requirement for foreign trade operators was formally abolished, advancing trade liberalization and facilitation. Pilot Free Trade Zones have focused on exploring institutional systems that align with international economic and trade rules, achieving a series of groundbreaking and leading innovations. The scope of mutual recognition for Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) continues to expand, significantly shortening customs clearance times for enterprises. Relevant departments, including the State Administration for Market Regulation, have persistently promoted the "same line, same standard, same quality" (hereafter referred to as the "Three Sames") for products intended for both domestic and international markets, aiming to remove bottlenecks in regulatory alignment between the two markets. Through a series of reform measures, these efforts assist enterprises in switching smoothly between markets and foster deeper integration of the two markets.
The alignment of standards and certification has led to a notable decrease in institutional costs for enterprises and effectively enhanced their ability to utilize resources from both markets. In 2025, China converted 1,510 international standards, bringing the overall conversion rate of international standards to 88.9% by the end of that year. The Market Supervision Administration of Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, innovatively implemented a "certificate issuance first, supervision later" model after testing approval. For the first batch of enterprises using the CCC certification green channel, the cycle to obtain a CCC certificate was compressed by 65%, and certification costs were reduced by approximately 10%.
Smoother Two-Way Interaction Between Domestic and International Markets
In recent years, pilot regions for integrated domestic and international trade, such as Beijing and Shanghai, have provided replicable experiences for other areas through their exploration and practice. The Ministry of Commerce organized the "High-Quality Foreign Trade Products China Tour" activity, supporting the entry of quality foreign trade products into supermarkets, commercial districts, and e-commerce platforms.
Local Innovation Demonstrates Effects
The Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone established the Furong Standardization Industry Cluster Area to promote the alignment of domestic standards with international ones, offering one-stop services for quality, standards, and testing, which has attracted domestic and international standardization institutions. The Hangzhou High-tech Industrial Development Zone (Binjiang District) released a group standard for the "Three Sames" and introduced special financial credit products for it.
While China has achieved significant results in promoting the alignment of standards and certification, challenges remain, such as duplicate testing and certification for enterprises and insufficient implementation of the "Three Sames" initiative. To deepen reforms in this area and further promote alignment, efforts should focus on the following aspects.
First, focus on reducing the institutional costs for enterprises switching between markets. Differences in standards and certification between domestic and international markets lead to higher institutional costs for cross-market operations. It is necessary to concentrate on key areas and critical links, strengthen the alignment and conversion of standards, proactively connect with high-standard international economic and trade rules, continuously improve the consistency between domestic and international standards, and reduce duplicate testing and certification. Simultaneously, further optimize the CCC certification process to accelerate the speed at which products obtain CCC certification and enter the domestic market.
Second, promote the deeper and more substantial implementation of the "Three Sames" project. Further refine relevant policies and measures, actively encourage enterprises to develop "Three Sames" products, increase support, continuously expand the product coverage areas, and focus on smoothing channels for export products to enter the domestic market. Fully leverage the role of industry associations and platforms, intensify publicity and guidance for consumers, and enhance consumer awareness and recognition. Strengthen supervision over relevant enterprises and product quality, urging enterprises to fulfill their primary responsibilities.
Third, steadily enhance the international influence of Chinese standards. Strive to upgrade some domestic standards into international ones, support more participation from enterprises, industry associations, and research institutions in international standard-setting, and focus on elevating the international standing of Chinese standards. Deepen standards cooperation with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and actively promote the overseas application of Chinese standards.
Comments