Nov 4 -- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting public comment on People's Republic of China (PRC) policies and influence in the development of international standards for emerging technologies.
Section 9414 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (“William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021”) (Pub. L. 116-283) requires NIST to enter into an agreement with an appropriate entity to study the effect of the policies of the People's Republic of China and coordination among industrial entities within the People's Republic of China on international bodies engaged in developing and setting international standards for emerging technologies.
“Made in China 2025” is a strategic plan that was initiated in 2015 to reduce China's dependence on foreign technology and promote Chinese technological manufacturers in the global marketplace. The goal was to reach this objective by the year 2025, a decade from the year when the plan first took root. More information on the “Made in China 2025” policy can be found at
http://english.www.gov.cn/policies/latest_releases/2015/05/19/content_281475110703534.htm.
The “China Standards 2035” project will most likely build upon Made in China 2025. The “China Standards 2035” plan will lay out a blueprint for China's government and leading technology companies to set global standards for emerging technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence and advanced communications technology.
International standards need to be relevant and to effectively respond to regulatory and market needs, as well as scientific and technological developments in various countries. They should not distort the global market, have adverse effects on fair competition, or stifle innovation and technological development. In addition, they should not give preference to the characteristics or requirements of specific countries or regions when different needs or interests exist in other countries or regions. Whenever possible, international standards should be performance based rather than based on design or descriptive characteristics.
To ensure that the broad perspective of the standards community informs the development of and aligns with government's future plans and approaches, this RFI invites stakeholders throughout the scientific research, advocacy, industry, and non-scientific communities, including the general public, to comment. The enumerated list of topics below covers the major areas about which NIST seeks comment and is not intended to limit the topics that may be addressed. Commenters may provide responses to other relevant issues, such as the extent to which the PRC partners with foreign governments or multinational corporations to promote technical standards that may advantage PRC companies, entities, or state objectives; the aims of the PRC in international standards setting organizations, including an analysis of Chinese-language sources; the standardization strategy of the PRC, as identified in the stated intentions of the “China Standards 2035” plan, including how and to what extent that strategy has been implemented and has influenced PRC industry and academic sectors, including in the development of indigenous standards with international implications. Commenters may also offer comments on whether international standards for select emerging technologies ( e.g., electronics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain and financial technologies, clean energy technologies, and quantum information technologies) are being designed to promote or favor interests of the PRC, as expressed in the “Made in China 2025” plan, to the exclusion or disadvantage of other participants or in a way that may not result in the best technological solution. Responses may include any topic believed to have implications for the study.
1. The participation of the People's Republic of China in international standards setting organizations over the previous 10 years, including leadership roles in standards drafting technical committees, and the quality or value of that participation;
2. The effect of the standardization strategy of the People's Republic of China, as identified in the “China Standards 2035” plan on international bodies engaged in developing and setting standards for select emerging technologies, such as advanced communication technologies, or cloud computing and cloud services;
3. Whether international standards for select emerging technologies are being designed to promote interests of the People's Republic of China as expressed in the “Made in China 2025” plan to the exclusion of other participants;
4. How previous practices used by the People's Republic of China while participating in international standards setting organizations may foretell how the People's Republic of China is likely to engage in international standardization activities of critical technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum information science, and what may be the consequences;
5. Recommendations on how the United States can take steps to mitigate the influence of the People's Republic of China and bolster United States public and private sector participation in international standards-setting bodies.
FR notice inviting comments:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/04/2021-24090/study-on-peoples-republic-of-china-prc-policies-and-influence-in-the-development-of-international