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China Releases 515 National Standards: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

China's regulator approved 515 national standards covering AI, semiconductors, traditional industries, safety, and consumer products. Here's a practical overview for foreign founders operating in China.

China Releases 515 National Standards: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

On October 23, 2026, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) approved and published 515 important national standards and national standardization指导性技术文件 (guiding technical documents). For foreign founders building or operating a company in China, these standards can affect product design, safety compliance, and market access. Below is a breakdown of what was published and why it matters.

Overview of the Standards Package

The package includes:

• 10 mandatory national standards (强制性国家标准) – these are legally binding.
• 466 recommended national standards (推荐性国家标准) – voluntary but often used as reference in contracts and regulation.
• 39 national standardization guiding technical documents – non-binding guidance.

The standards span high-tech, traditional industries, work safety, and consumer life. SAMR states they will play an important role in promoting high-quality industrial development, improving quality of life, and safeguarding life and property safety.

High-Tech Sector: AI, Semiconductors, and New Energy

For founders in technology, several standards are directly relevant:

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics

• 16 standards for AI, humanoid robots, and industrial environment robots. These cover AI system safety and robot technical requirements. The aim is to set safety baselines and unify technical specifications, supporting high-quality development of the robotics and AI industries.

Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits

• 14 standards for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. These regulate the semiconductor industry, strengthen supply chain resilience, and support technological self-reliance.

Computing Infrastructure

• 7 standards for optical computing and intelligent computing. They standardize areas such as optical computing and intelligent computing clusters, unify evaluation benchmarks, and consolidate computing infrastructure.

Photovoltaics and Energy Storage

• 4 standards for photovoltaics and new energy storage. These specify technical requirements for new energy storage and PV, supporting safe and efficient development of new energy.

Traditional Industries: Shipbuilding, Aerospace, Equipment, and Materials

Foreign founders in manufacturing should note standards for traditional sectors:

Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering

• 25 standards for marine diesel generator sets, marine check valves, and general requirements for remote operation and maintenance systems for offshore platforms. These provide standard support for R&D, safe operation, and green transformation of ships and marine engineering equipment.

Aerospace

• 12 standards for aircraft static converters and terminology for civil aircraft powerplant systems. These provide technical criteria for design and manufacturing of aerospace-related products.

Equipment Manufacturing

• 49 standards for rolling bearings, reciprocating internal combustion engines, and EDM machines. These help improve the quality of core components in equipment manufacturing.

Building Materials

• 26 standards for photovoltaic glass, concrete, and cement. These support green and low-carbon transformation of the building materials industry.

Raw Materials

• 11 standards for steel and alloys, non-ferrous metal materials, and vanadium-titanium magnetite. These strengthen quality assurance for basic raw materials.

Work Safety: Public Security and Social Governance

Mandatory standards in this area carry legal weight. Founders must pay close attention.

Public Safety

• 7 mandatory national standards for intelligent connected vehicle spatiotemporal data security and fire safety. They focus on data protection for intelligent connected vehicles and urban/rural fire risk prevention, further detailing data security baselines, fire products, and venue management rules, and promoting more refined urban safety governance.

Social Governance

• 8 national standards for hazardous explosives management, urban public facility operation and maintenance, and forest and grassland fire prevention and extinguishing.
• 3 guiding technical documents for community and business continuity resilience construction. These focus on grassroots safety control and risk resistance, further standardizing operation and maintenance requirements, detailing reconstruction planning and emergency plan development processes, promoting a shift toward preventive safety management, and providing standard support for resilient and safe city construction.

Consumer Life: Food, Paper Products, Education, and Sports

Consumer-facing standards can affect product labeling, quality, and market opportunities.

Food and Condiments

• A national standard for names of spices and condiments, standardizing Chinese and English names and used parts of plant-based spice products.

Paper Products

• 12 standards for toilet paper and its products, wallpaper, etc., optimizing product performance and improving quality to meet high-quality consumer demand.

Education Services

• 6 standards for elderly learning and educational organizations, clarifying management systems for educational organizations and service requirements for elderly learners. These support building vocational education brands and promote deep cooperation between Chinese and foreign vocational education.

Sports and Fitness

• 2 standards for cycling sports glasses and esports equipment configuration, continuing to lead the expansion of sports and fitness consumption.

Practical Implications for Foreign Founders

These standards are not just technical documents—they can influence your compliance obligations, product certification, and market strategy in China. Here are key takeaways:

• Mandatory standards are enforceable. The 10 mandatory standards, especially those on intelligent connected vehicle data security and fire safety, require close attention if your products fall within their scope.
• Recommended standards often become de facto requirements. Even voluntary standards can be referenced in procurement, contracts, or local regulations.
• Sector-specific impact. If you operate in AI, semiconductors, new energy, shipbuilding, aerospace, or consumer goods, review the relevant standards to ensure your products and operations align.
• Opportunities in education and sports. Standards promoting vocational education cooperation and sports consumption may open doors for foreign involvement.

For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, understanding these standards is part of building a compliant and competitive business. ChinaMNC can help you navigate the regulatory landscape.

Call to action: Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.