Beijing, January 26 (Xinhua) -- With the approval of Premier Li Keqiang, the State Council recently issued the "Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of Quality Certification System and Promoting Total Quality Management" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), deploying and promoting the construction of quality certification system, strengthening total quality management, and promoting the high-quality development of China's economy.

The Opinion proposes to adhere to the principles of unified management, top-level design, market leadership, government guidance, deepening reform, innovative development, incentives and constraints, and diverse governance. Strive to achieve a complete quality certification system in China within 3-5 years, significantly enhance the quality management capabilities of various enterprise organizations, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, and significantly improve the quality level of major products, engineering, services, especially consumer goods, food and agricultural products, forming a group of internationally competitive quality brands.

The Opinion clarifies six key tasks. One is to vigorously promote advanced standards and methods of quality management. Innovate quality management tools, promote the application of advanced standards and methods in quality management, and transform the government's quality governance approach. The second is to widely carry out the upgrading action of the quality management system. Build an upgraded version of quality management system certification and expand the coverage of quality certification. The third is to deepen the reform and innovation of the quality certification system. Improve the mandatory certification system, enhance the quality of voluntary certification supply, clean up administrative licensing and industry evaluation systems related to certification, inspection and testing, simplify and standardize the approval process for certification agencies and the qualification certification process for inspection and testing agencies. The fourth is to strengthen the supervision of certification activities during and after the process. Improve the certification supervision system, innovate certification supervision and incentive constraint mechanisms, increase the intensity of certification supervision work, and strictly implement the responsibilities of practitioners and personnel. The fifth is to cultivate and develop the inspection, testing, and certification service industry. Create a favorable environment for industry development, promote the reform and development of industry institutions, and enhance the comprehensive service capabilities of the industry. Sixth, deepen international cooperation and mutual recognition in quality certification. Establish an international cooperation mechanism for certification and accreditation, improve the openness of the domestic inspection and testing certification market, accelerate the pace of China's inspection and testing certification going global, and enhance the international influence of China's certification and accreditation.

The Opinion emphasizes the need to strengthen organizational leadership, and local governments at all levels should incorporate the construction of quality certification systems into economic and social development plans, establish and improve deliberation and coordination mechanisms, and work mechanisms; All departments should attach great importance to improving the inter ministerial joint conference mechanism for national certification and accreditation work. We need to strengthen comprehensive protection, accelerate the relevant legislative process, enhance subject education and professional talent team construction, improve statistical analysis mechanisms and information sharing platforms. We need to strengthen publicity and guidance, popularize knowledge of quality certification, and enhance the quality and integrity awareness of the whole society. We need to strengthen supervision and implementation, promote the inclusion of quality certification work in government performance and quality work assessments at all levels of government, and ensure the implementation of various decision-making arrangements.

Attachment: Opinions of the State Council on Strengthening the Construction of Quality Certification System and Promoting Total Quality Management (Guofa [2018] No. 3)