A phuanmi · Hakha Chin
China Releases 515 National Standards: What Foreign Founders Need to Know
China’s market regulator approved 515 national standards covering high-tech, traditional industries, safety, and consumer products. Here’s how foreign founders can use these standards to guide compliance and market entry.
China Releases 515 National Standards: What Foreign Founders Need to Know
On October 23, 2026, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) approved and published a batch of 515 important national standards and national standardization guiding technical documents. According to the official announcement, this includes 10 mandatory national standards, 466 recommended national standards, and 39 guiding technical documents. The standards span high-tech, traditional industries, work safety, and daily life, and are expected to play an important role in promoting high-quality industrial development, improving living quality, and safeguarding life and property.
For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, these standards are not just technical documents—they signal where regulators are focusing and what compliance expectations may look like in key sectors. Being aware of them can help you align product design, testing, and market positioning with Chinese requirements early on.
High-Tech Sector: AI, Semiconductors, and New Energy
In the high-tech field, the new standards cover several cutting-edge areas:
- Artificial intelligence and robotics: 16 national standards were released for AI, humanoid robots, and industrial environment robots, addressing AI system safety and robot technical requirements. These aim to set safety baselines and unify technical specifications, supporting high-quality development of the robotics and AI industries.
- Semiconductors: 14 national standards for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits were published to regulate the industry, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support technological self-reliance.
- Computing infrastructure: 7 national standards for optical computing and intelligent computing were issued, standardizing fields such as optical computing and intelligent computing clusters, unifying evaluation benchmarks, and consolidating computing infrastructure.
- New energy: 4 national standards for photovoltaics and new energy storage were released, specifying technical requirements to support safe and efficient development of new energy.
If your company operates in any of these areas, these standards may affect product certification, safety assessments, and market access. Early review can help avoid costly redesigns later.
Traditional Industries: Shipbuilding, Aerospace, Equipment, and Materials
For traditional industries, the new standards provide support for upgrading and green transformation:
- Ship and marine engineering: 25 national standards cover marine diesel generator sets, marine check valves, and general requirements for remote operation and maintenance systems for offshore platforms, supporting R&D, safe operation, and green transition.
- Aerospace: 12 national standards for aircraft static converters and terminology for civil aircraft powerplant systems provide technical benchmarks for design and manufacturing.
- Equipment manufacturing: 49 national standards for rolling bearings, reciprocating internal combustion engines, and EDM machines help improve the quality of core components.
- Building materials: 26 national standards for photovoltaic glass, concrete, and cement support green and low-carbon transformation.
- Raw materials: 11 national standards for steel and alloys, non-ferrous metal materials, and vanadium-titanium magnetite strengthen quality assurance for basic raw materials.
Foreign founders in manufacturing or industrial supply chains should note that these standards often become reference points for procurement and regulatory inspections.
Work Safety: Public Safety and Social Governance
In work safety, the new standards focus on risk prevention and resilience:
- Public safety: 7 mandatory national standards cover intelligent connected vehicle spatiotemporal data security and fire safety, focusing on data protection and urban-rural fire risk prevention. They refine data security baselines and management rules for fire products and premises, promoting more refined urban safety governance.
- Social governance: 8 national standards address hazardous materials management, urban public facility operation and maintenance, and forest and grassland fire prevention. Additionally, 3 national standardization guiding technical documents were issued for community and business continuity resilience, focusing on grassroots safety control and risk resistance, standardizing maintenance requirements and reconstruction planning, and promoting a shift toward preventive safety management.
Companies handling data, hazardous materials, or public infrastructure should pay close attention to these developments, as they may introduce new compliance obligations.
Daily Life: Consumer Products and Education Services
For consumer-facing businesses, the new standards cover:
- Food labeling: A national standard for names of spices and condiments regulates Chinese and English names and used parts of plant-based spice products.
- Paper products: 12 national standards for toilet paper and products, wallpaper, and other paper goods optimize performance and quality to meet high-quality consumer demand.
- Education services: 6 national standards for elderly learning and educational organizations clarify management systems and service requirements for elderly learners, supporting vocational education brands and promoting in-depth cooperation between Chinese and foreign vocational education.
- Sports and fitness: 2 national standards for cycling sports glasses and esports equipment configuration aim to guide and expand sports and fitness consumption.
Foreign founders in consumer goods or education services can use these standards to benchmark product quality and service delivery, potentially enhancing market acceptance.
What This Means for Foreign Founders
While these standards are not laws, they often form the technical basis for market supervision, product certification, and public procurement. For foreign founders, integrating them into your China market entry strategy can help you:
- Anticipate regulatory expectations in your sector.
- Design products that meet Chinese technical requirements from the start.
- Reduce risks of non-compliance during inspections or recalls.
- Leverage standards as a quality signal for partners and customers.
Given the breadth of these standards, it’s advisable to consult with local experts or compliance advisors to determine which ones apply to your business. ChinaMNC can help you navigate the regulatory landscape and connect with the right resources.
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.
For assistance with company registration and ongoing compliance in China, foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535.