More than 150 American and Chinese government and private sector standards experts attended a workshop in Beijing Aug. 18 and 19.

The event was hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce and China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, and focused on encouraging greater cooperation in the development of international standards, enforcement and conformity assessment. The U.S. delegation included 70 representatives.

The workshop addressed industry concerns that standards can be used as technical barriers to trade. It was organized at the request of several private American companies and resulted from agreements reached at the 15th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce Trade meeting held in April by Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi.

 …