China’s drive to build a strong nation through quality has unveiled a new blueprint.

　　Recently, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the Outline for Building a Country Strong in Quality (hereinafter referred to as the “Outline”), which has defined a new strategic positioning for quality-related work in the new era and provided an action-oriented guide while injecting strong momentum into the coordinated advancement of building a country strong in quality.

　　On February 16, officials from the State Administration for Market Regulation, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other relevant departments stated at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that effectively implementing the Outline is a crucial step in advancing Chinese‑style modernization, transforming China’s economy from large to strong, and achieving high‑quality economic and social development. The relevant authorities will devote their utmost efforts to enhancing quality sector by sector, thereby better meeting the people’s aspirations for a better life.

　　Strengthen the development of the “Three Systems”

　　As a key factor in fostering thriving international trade, advancing industrial development, and enhancing people’s well-being, quality is increasingly at the forefront of economic, trade, technological, and cultural spheres. Building a country strong in quality is an important step toward promoting high-quality development and facilitating China’s transition from being large to being strong.

　　Tian Shihong, Deputy Director of the State Administration for Market Regulation and Director of the National Standardization Administration, stated that the Outline sets out two-stage development goals for 2025 and 2035, along with eight key tasks: promoting quality‑ and efficiency‑oriented economic development; strengthening the quality competitiveness of industries; accelerating the upgrading and enhancement of product quality; improving the quality of construction projects; expanding the supply of high‑quality services; bolstering enterprises’ capabilities in quality and brand development; building a high‑level quality infrastructure; and advancing the modernization of quality governance.

　　Tian Shihong stated that, judging from the clearly defined priority areas outlined in the Outline, the efforts can be summarized as building “three systems”:

　　Build a quality‑supply system that is better aligned with current needs. Focus on promoting high‑quality, efficiency‑driven economic development, strengthen the quality competitiveness of regions and industries, and accelerate the upgrading of products, projects, and services. At the same time, enhance enterprises’ capabilities in quality and brand development, reinforce systematic planning and holistic advancement across macro, meso, and micro levels, and create an upgraded version of the quality‑supply system.

　　Build a high‑level quality infrastructure system. Strengthen the monitoring and comprehensive evaluation of quality infrastructure operations, rationally plan the layout of national, regional, and industry‑specific quality technical service institutions, establish “one‑stop” integrated service hubs, and develop a quality infrastructure that is systematic, well‑structured, efficient, and practical, thereby maximizing its service effectiveness.

　　Build a modern quality governance system. Focus on strengthening quality policies, improving the legal framework for quality, and optimizing quality oversight; deepen quality inspections and performance assessments; reinforce grassroots governance, corporate accountability, and industry self-regulation; and foster a favorable environment in which the government prioritizes quality, enterprises strive for excellence, society values quality, and everyone takes an active interest in quality.

　　Launch a quality improvement initiative.

　　“Launching quality‑improvement initiatives is a key lever for building a country strong in quality, and elevating the quality of products, projects, and services is an essential task in this endeavor,” said Huang Guoliang, Director of the Development Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation. The Outline calls for the thorough implementation of quality‑improvement measures and sets out specific plans to enhance the quality of products, projects, and services.

　　With regard to enhancing the quality and safety of agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical products, the Outline calls for the rigorous implementation of the “four strictest” standards for food safety, along with comprehensive oversight covering all market entities, all product categories, and the entire supply chain, thereby ensuring public safety in what people put on their plates. In terms of improving the quality of construction materials, the Outline mandates accelerating the research, development, and application of new-generation building materials that are high‑strength, highly durable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly, while promoting the upgrading and replacement of traditional materials such as steel, glass, and ceramics to elevate their performance and overall quality. As for raising the level of professionalization in production‑related services, the Outline underscores the importance of developing intelligent solutions, systematic integration, and process reengineering, while also strengthening science‑and‑technology‑driven services—including industrial design, inspection and testing, intellectual property, and quality consulting—to facilitate precise alignment and deep integration among industrial chains, innovation networks, and value chains.

　　Gong Zhenli, an official with the Industrial Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated that brands are a key symbol of high-quality economic development and an intrinsic pillar of building a country strong in quality. The NDRC will leverage the Outline to promote the high‑quality development of brands. “We encourage local authorities to formulate relevant policies and measures for brand development based on their specific circumstances, establish sound mechanisms to incentivize brand growth and ensure the necessary resources, and motivate enterprises to implement quality‑and‑brand strategies, thereby enhancing their capabilities in managing and operating brands throughout their entire life cycle,” said Gong Zhenli.

　 　Ensuring safety in food, clothing, housing, and transportation.

　　Quality and safety are closely linked to enterprises’ production and operations, as well as to the daily lives of ordinary people—covering their food, clothing, housing, and transportation. According to Duan Yongsheng, Director-General of the Product Quality and Safety Supervision Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation, quality and safety are vital to safeguarding the lives and property of the public and ensuring public safety. The Outline explicitly calls for implementing a “Quality and Safety Regulatory Barrier‑Building Project,” with a strong focus on advancing the modernization of quality governance, emphasizing efforts in three key areas: strengthening the rule of law in quality management, improving quality‑related policies and systems, and enhancing the effectiveness of quality supervision.

　　“We will accelerate the revision of the Product Quality Law and improve regulations in areas such as product safety, product liability, and quality infrastructure. We will crack down rigorously, in accordance with the law, on the production and sale of counterfeit and substandard goods and on infringements of intellectual property rights, and we will strengthen the coordination between administrative enforcement and criminal justice. We will support the initiation of public-interest and class-action lawsuits related to quality issues and ensure the effective implementation of punitive damages for product‑quality violations,” said Duan Yongsheng. He added that it is essential to establish a traceability system for key products, creating a comprehensive chain that enables verification of origins, tracking of distribution, and accountability for all parties involved.

　　How can we directly enhance the quality‑based competitiveness of industries at the supply side?

　　Bi Kaichun, an official with the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, stated that it is essential to foster the principle that “product quality is designed into products, manufactured into them, and ensured through rigorous testing and experimentation.” This approach will encourage enterprises to integrate quality management throughout the entire R&D, production, and operational processes, continuously enhance their quality management systems and technological capabilities, and drive the manufacturing sector toward the mid- to high-end segments.

　　“Going forward, we will focus on implementing key tasks by promoting the upgrading of the quality of consumer goods and services, strengthening the competitiveness of industrial foundational quality, guiding the high-quality development of new technologies, new products, and new business models, and significantly enhancing the quality of services,” said Huang Guoliang. (Reporter: Wang Junling)

Source: People’s Daily Overseas Edition