Certification & Standards

All overseas products imported into China are checked and certified by the domestic and overseas arm of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ). Two agencies of AQSIQ, the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) and the Standardisation Administration of China (SAC) are responsible for certification and standardisation in China.

Generally, but not exclusively, Chinese standards match ISO, ANSI or BS/EN.  When importing into China, Chinese standards take precedence over foreign standards, so it is essential that your products adhere to the applicable Chinese laws, regulations, standards and certification requirements. 

Chinese standards are divided into Mandatory Standards and Voluntary Standards. Mandatory standards are those concerning the protection of human health, personal property and safety and those enforced by laws and administrative regulations.  Standards that fall outside the above criteria are known as Voluntary Standards.  Certain market sectors, such as medical products and food, require extensive registration (and possibly testing) and certification.  Here it is important to seek advice from UKTI or CBBC.

The China Compulsory Certificate (CCC) is a compulsory quality and safety mark that is required for a range of manufactured goods before they can be exported to or sold in China. CCC certification is required for a wide range of products that could impact on human life and health, animals, plants, environmental protection and national security.  Goods imported into China that require the CCC mark and do not have it may be held at the border by Chinese Customs and may be subject to other penalties.  Both the CNCA and the SAC have English language websites providing comprehensive information on certification and standardisation: www.cnca.gov.cn/cnca/ and www.sac.gov.cn/templet/english/.