NEW YORK, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) held a launch ceremony for its Manufacturer Member Roundtable on February 11, 2009, in Beijing, China. Over fifty stakeholders attended the ceremony, including representatives of ANSI member companies and organizations as well as Chinese government officials. With the marked increase in trade between the United States and China over the past decade, the Roundtable will provide a forum for ANSI member companies to discuss challenges and strategies, share information across industry sectors, and provide perspectives on issues unique to manufacture and distribution into, out of, and within China.
"Over the last several years, U.S.-Sino trade figures have told a story of growth and transformation," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO, during his opening remarks. "The ANSI Manufacturer Member Roundtable in China is a great opportunity to share information, best practices and experience with a number of issues relevant to the Chinese market, from standards and conformance to market access in both regulated and voluntary arenas."
Open to any ANSI full company members that manufacture physical products either made or sold in China, the meeting was the first in a series of monthly forums for these companies' China-based representatives to share information and experiences on standards and conformance issues.
Additional comments were provided by Mr. Shi Baoquan of the Standardization Administration of the People's Republic of China (SAC), Mr. Liu Weijun of the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China (CNCA), Mr. Wu Jingsheng of the Chinese Administration for Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), and ANSI member representative Mr. Stephen Maloy of General Electric (GE). Mr. Mark Lewis, of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, offered closing remarks for the event.
Speakers stressed their strong support for this initiative, and were enthusiastic about having a cooperative forum in which to get more information on industry perspectives. Many also highlighted the importance of cooperation to avoid trade issues -- particularly in these tough economic times.
"By focusing this roundtable on the exchange of information, ANSI is making a commitment to empower our manufacturer members with the standards and conformity assessment information resources they need," Mr. Bhatia added.
"One of the tools that is available to us is StandardsPortal, an online resource that facilitates international trade by helping companies better understand the standards, regulatory, and conformance related technical requirements that they face around the world."
Launched in 2006, StandardsPortal offers dual-language (English and Mandarin) material for the U.S. and Chinese economies, exploring the structure, history, and operation of each nation's standards and conformity assessment system. The site also offers resources on standards and conformance for the Republic of India.
"ANSI is pleased with the strong turnout and support for the Manufacturer Member Roundtable," said Elise Owen, ANSI representative for China and India affairs. "This initiative will be one more way to enhance visibility for the importance of standards and conformity assessment in U.S.-Sino bilateral trade, and to increase the impact of our cooperation with China."
The next roundtable will be held in March. Information on date, time, and other details will be available soon on www.ansi.org.
About ANSI (www.ansi.org)
ANSI's mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.
ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
About StandardsPortal (www.StandardsPortal.org)
StandardsPortal is an online resource designed to facilitate trade through increased transparency and engagement in standards, regulations, and conformity assessment activities. With information on the United States, the People's Republic of China, and the Republic of India, StandardsPortal explores the structure, history, and operation of each nation's standards and conformity assessment system, and offers information on the World Trade Organization Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade.
Development and maintenance for StandardsPortal is made possible through financial support from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce.
SOURCE American National Standards Institute
