To implement the National Standardization Development Outline and fully leverage the supporting and guiding role of standardization in urban development, the Action Plan on Urban Standardization was recently released by Standardization Administration of China (SAC) together with five ministries including Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and Ministry of Emergency Management.

According to the Action Plan, by 2027, the standards system for high-quality urban development will be basically completed, including more than 150 national and industrial standards developed and revised in the fields such as urban sustainable development, new urbanization construction, smart cities, public services, urban governance, emergency management, green and low-carbon development, ecological environment, cultural services, and infrastructure.

The guiding and driving role of all-round urban standardization will be remarkably strengthened, the provincial and ministerial cooperation will be carried out among at least five provinces, and more than 30 typical cases of urban standardization will be announced.

The international impact of urban standardization will be continuously improved through actively participating in international standards development, organizing high-end forums, regularly releasing related white papers, and steadily promoting the standardization international communication and cooperation among cities.

The interactive mechanisms for urban standardization will take initial shape, including the interactive mechanism at ministerial, provincial and city levels, the joint meeting mechanism, and the platforms on coordination, experience sharing and international cooperation.

The Action Plan puts forward 16 key tasks and relevant measures for organization and implementation. On one hand, it focuses on accelerating the standards system for high-quality urban development, and makes clear the task of standards development and revision in 12 fields. On the other hand, it focuses on systematically pushing forward urban standardization work, and deploys the standardization priorities such as further carrying out pilot construction and international cooperation, establishing the platform for experience exchange and cooperation, and exploring special action plans in key areas.

The Action Plan will further strengthen the standards foundation of high-quality urban development, enhance the promotion and application of standards in an all-round way, and provide standardization support for raising the level of high-quality urban development and accelerating the modernization of cities’ system and capacity for governance.