N.E. Asia Standards Cooperation

The 8th Northeast Asia Standards Cooperation Forum was held November 18~19 in Guilin, China, with the participation of three countries - Korea, China and Japan. This forum, which started in 2002, had remained at the level of mutual information exchange regarding diverse standardization agenda thus far suggested by the respective countries.

However, the Guilin Forum agreed to discuss individual standards after organizing separate sessions(technical committees) and to establish one specific agenda annually, energy efficiency, service, living welfare standards, logistics, etc., and handle it in depth at its general assembly meeting.

At the recent forum, Korea, China and Japan decided to work on establishment of group standards for three items - mobile bathtubs, safety handles and turning aids - in advance and agreed to promote international standards on a step-by-step basis after reviewing the national standards of the three countries.

In addition, Korea suggested so-called 'standards for green textile products' utilizing recycled materials as raw materials; China suggested standards for consumer goods safety guide and language training service; and Japan suggested standards for piezoelectric elements, which are emerging as core materials for electronic products and automobiles. The three countries agreed to decide on whether to take up standardization work or not at an early date after experts' examinations.

The world's language education market consists of English (70%), Japanese (13.25%), Korean (6.5%), Chinese (5%) and others (5.25%).

Meanwhile, Korea introduced its green technology and Standardization for better living policies presently under strategic promotion by the government.

Korea, China and Japan also agreed to exchange information among green standards experts for electric vehicles, energy management system, etc. in the respective countries.

China introduced its standardization policy, one of the country's 10 economic industrial policies while revealing that the Chinese government decided to exert utmost efforts in advancing standardization and standards management system in unity with its respective ministries and provincial governments after establishment of 'National Technical Standards Guidelines' in accordance with Prime Minster Wen Jiabao's instruction.

Japan introduced that the nation is developing energy efficiency standards for high energy consuming business types, such as steel and cement, in order to reduce CO2 emissions and increase energy efficiency.

The combined economies of the three countries, Korea, China and japan, account for 16.8% of the world's GDP and 15% of the world's trade volume. In 2008, the world's GDP recorded US$61.07 trillion with contributions from Japan (US$4.9 trillion), China (US$4.4 trillion) and Korea(US$ 947 billion) totaling US$10.2 trillion, while the world's trade volume recorded US$31.77 trillion with China contributing US$2.49 trillion, Japan US$1.45 trillion and Korea US$860 billion.