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Teddy Ng

The newly appointed chief of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) vowed to make the global standard-setting process more reflective of the needs of different nations.
Zhang Xiaogang, the chairman of Angang Steel Group, made the remarks before heading to Geneva yesterday to preside over the ISO meeting - his first after taking up his term, which runs to 2017.
Zhang is the first Chinese appointed to lead the body, and it comes after Beijing has become more proactive in sending people to sit in senior management of international standard-setting bodies, which observers described as the nation's attempt to expand its international economic clout by helping to establish the rules of the game.
In remarks to reporters before heading to Geneva, Zhang said the standard-setting process should be in line with local technological development.
"The development of different places and nations is not balanced, and the ISO should explore more diversification in setting standards," he was quoted by state-run Xinhua as saying.
Other than the ISO, top management roles of other standard-setting bodies have been filled by Chinese in recent years.
For example, Shu Yinbiao, president of State Grid Corporation, was made vice-chairman of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 2013, and Zhao Houlin, was named as the first Chinese secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) last October.
These bodies are mainly tasked with setting specifications and guidelines. China is currently involved in only a small number of the issues taken up by the ISO and IEC, which has 164 and 60 full members respectively, another Xinhua report said.
The standard-setting process is dominated by developed nations such as Germany, Britain and France, the Xinhua report said.
Zhang said the ISO would deliberate on setting standards and guidelines for intelligent appliances and corporate social responsibility, and step up cooperation with the IEC and ITU.
Observers said naming Chinese to head such agencies was crucial for the nation to improve its technology, and make its specifications in line with international norms.
"China's economy is developing rapidly, and the nation hopes international standard-setting can take better consideration of China's needs. But right now, China's involvement in the process is not strong enough," said Su Hao, a professor with China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing. "It is expected that China will name more people to sit in such agencies."


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New Chinese president of global group that sets standards says its work must reflect that nations are at different stages of development
