Seminar of “World Accreditation Day in China”Held in Shanghai

June 9, 2011 witnessed the Seminar of “World Accreditation Day in China” held in Shanghai to celebrate the fourth World Accreditation Day.  Nearly 300 representatives from governmental departments, accreditation body, conformity assessment bodies, enterprises and other interested parties attended.

Mr. Zhi Shuping, the Minister of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, delivered the opening speech.  He said that the outcomes of accreditation and accredited conformity assessment should be widely recognized and relied upon; the accreditation and conformity assessment community should strengthen its capability building and self-improvement; the institutional advantage of accreditation and conformity assessment system should be further explored; the effectiveness of accreditation and accredited conformity assessment and the public confidence therein should be reinforced; and the influence and public awareness of accreditation and accredited conformity assessment should be increasingly promoted.

Mr. Han Zheng, the Mayor of Shanghai briefly introduced the development of accredited conformity assessment in Shanghai since the starting of China’s reform and opening.  He said this seminar was a good opportunity to continuously push the healthy and orderly development of accreditation and conformity assessment, and to fully exert the role of accreditation and conformity assessment in facilitating the economic and social development.

Ms. Wang Fengqing, the Chair of China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS), said in her speech that, CNAS, which is the sole national accreditation body authorized by China Government, regards supporting the work of regulators as an important function of accreditation.  Now, the accreditation results are being accepted and utilized by more and more regulations and governmental authorities.  In the future, accreditation shall proactively serve the need of regulators of all levels and bring into full play the positivity of government authorities towards accreditation.

During the seminar the relevant officials from the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Public Security and several regualtory authorities of Shanghai municipal government had also addressed the audience on topics related to accreditation’s role in supporting the work of regulators. Mr. Xiao Jianhua, the Chief Executive of CNAS had also briefed the international development of accreditation in supporting the work of regulators.

In China, accreditation and conformity assessment activities have been developing rapidly and are widely utilized in various social and economic fields, acting as an important supportive means for the administrative work of government authorities.