CIRCULAR OF THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL ON THE TRAN-SMISSION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE ECONOMIC COM-MISSION, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND TRADE, AND THESTATE BUREAU OF IMPORT AND
CIRCULAR OF THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL ON THE TRAN-SMISSION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE ECONOMIC COM-MISSION, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND TRADE, AND THESTATE BUREAU OF IMPORT AND
EXPORT COMMODITIES INSPECTION CONCERNING THESTRENGTHENIN
Important Notice:
This English document is coming from the "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)
which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State
Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China
Legal System Publishing House.
In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.
Whole Document
CIRCULAR OF THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL ON THE TRAN-
SMISSION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE ECONOMIC COM-
MISSION, THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND TRADE, AND THE
STATE BUREAU OF IMPORT AND EXPORT COMMODITIES INSPECTION CONCERNING THE
STRENGTHENING OF QUALITY CONTROL OF EXPORT COMMODITIES
(April 29, 1987)
The State Council has accepted The Recommendations Concerning the
Strengthening of Quality Control of Export Commodities, submitted by the
State Economic Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and
Trade, and the State Bureau of Import and Export Commodities Inspection.
The Recommendations are hereby transmitted to you, and you are requested
to implement them conscientiously in light of the actual conditions in
your spheres of activities.
The strengthening of quality control of export commodities is the key to
increasing economic returns as well as foreign exchange earnings. In
recent years, the quality of some of our country's export commodities has
shown a decline, which has not only caused economic losses and affected
foreign exchange earnings by exports, but also marred the reputation of
our country. All the localities and departments concerned shall give the
amplest attention to this state of affairs, take effective measures to
remedy it quickly so as to upgrade the quality of our export commodities.
RECOMMENDATIONS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE ECONOMIC COMMISSION, THE MINISTRY
OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC RELATIONS AND TRADE, AND THE STATE BUREAU OF IMPORT
AND EXPORT COMMODITIES INSPECTION CONCERNING THE STRENGTHENING OF QUALITY
CONTROL OF EXPORT COMMODITIES
(Extracts)
In recent years, the quality of some of our country's export commodities
has shown a decline, which has not only caused economic losses and had an
unfavourable impact on the foreign exchange earnings by exports, but also
marred the reputation of our country. In order to rapidly remedy this
situation and to strengthen quality control of our export commodities, we
hereby submit, on the basis of the investigations and studies of the
aforesaid situation and the opinions solicited from all localities and
departments concerned, the following recommendations:
I. Checking up and Rectifying Factories to be Designated as Export
Commodities Manufacturers
All the localities and departments concerned must carry out an all-round
checking-up on, and rectification of, all the enterprises that are
manufacturing export commodities and then designate from among them the
most outstanding ones as manufacturers of commodities for export. Those
enterprises found to be lacking the conditions for guaranteeing the
quality of their products shall not be permitted to manufacture
commodities for export. The State Economic Commission, the Ministry of
Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, and the State Bureau of Import and
Export Commodities Inspection shall jointly be responsible for the
checking-up and rectification in conjunction with other competent organs
concerned. The checking-up and rectification shall be focused on those
industries whose quality control over export commodities is comparatively
poor, whose number of factories designated for producing and processing
export commodities is too large, and whose quality problems are numerous.
II. Strengthening the Quality Control and Inspection Work in Enterprises
Producing Export Commodities
(1) In production enterprises, the factory director (the manager) shall
take overall responsibility for quality of export commodities.
(2) In factories specially engaged in the production of export
commodities, the production bases of export commodities, and the
enterprises producing import and export commodities, the post of chief
quality controller may be set up. The chief quality controller shall
assist the factory director in taking the overall responsibility for
inspecting and controlling the quality of products, for implementing the
Regulations on the Responsibility for Quality Control of Industrial
Products, for organizing the formulation and implementation of the rules
for reward and penalty relating to the quality of products, and for making
the decision, on behalf of the factory director, to stop the production
and delivery out of the factory of sub-standard export commodities.
(3) In enterprises producing important export commodities, the system of
having a resident quality supervisor stationed in the enterprise and sent
by the State commodities inspection department (referred to, for short, as
"the resident supervisor system") shall be implemented on a trial basis.
The resident supervisor shall, in the name of the State, exercise
supervision over the quality and inspection of the production enterprise's
export commodities, and have the right to inspect, to spot check, or to
re-inspect the finished products, or the raw and processed materials, or
spare parts and components, used in manufacturing export commodities. In
case where the resident supervisor discovers that the export commodities
are not up to the standard, he/she has the right to stop the delivery out
of the factory of the export commodities, and may ask the foreign trade
corporations not to purchase the said export commodities. The production
enterprise shall provide the resident supervisor with working conditions,
the data of quality, and relevant technical documents for carrying out
quality inspection; and it shall also inspect, spot check, or re-inspect
its products, as required by the resident supervisor. The resident
supervisors shall be personnel of the State commodities inspection
departments, and their salaries, bonuses and welfare benefits shall all be
borne by the sending department so that no direct economic connections
shall exist between the resident supervisors and the production
enterprise.
(4) All the production enterprises manufacturing export commodities shall
implement an all-round quality control, strengthen and perfect the quality
responsibility system, strengthen inspection work, and work out strict
technological processes and labour discipline. The factory director shall
appoint a person who has technical know-how, experience and strong sense
of responsibility, as head of the inspection department, and this
appointment shall be reported to the authorities in charge of the
enterprise for the record. No department or individual within the
enterprise shall be permitted to interfere with the work conducted by the
inspection department, and its independence in performing its functions
shall be guaranteed. It is imperative to establish and perfect, as soon as
possible, the quality guarantee system in enterprises producing export
commodities.
III. Strengthening the Supervision and Inspection of the Quality of Export
Commodities
All export commodities must undergo the process of inspection. Commodities
that are not up to the standard (including those whose packaging is not up
to the standard) shall not be permitted to leave the factory; the foreign
trade corporations shall not be permitted to purchase such commodities;
and the commodities inspection department shall not issue export licence
and grant clearance.
The working contingent of the commodities inspection department shall be
reinforced gradually, and the means of inspection of export commodities be
perfected. The commodities inspection department shall, in conjunction
with the competent authorities concerned, speed up the work for issuing
quality licenses for important export commodities. With respect to those
commodities to which the system of quality licence for export commodities
applies, the competent authorities for foreign economic relations and
trade shall not issue for them export licences before they have obtained
quality licenses for export commodities.
The competent authorities for foreign economic relations and trade shall
strengthen their supervision over and inspection of foreign trade
corporations, and urge them to strengthen the work of quality control, to
improve examination-and-acceptance system, and reinforce the working
personnel for the system, to strive to do a good job in selecting
outstanding factories to manufacture commodities for export, to purchase
commodities from the factories that produce quality products, and to
adhere to the principle of "placing quality first, and winning over the
customers by offering them quality products". The competent authorities
for foreign economic relations and trade shall have the right to
disqualify those units which do not have the qualifications for doing
foreign trade business, and ask the administrative department for industry
and commerce to revoke their business licences. The exportation of
commodities through irregular channels or by using crooked means by
violation of the State provisions shall be strictly prohibited.
IV. Taking the Improvement of the Quality of Export Commodities as the
Focus of the Work of Technical Advancement
All the localities and departments shall, in accordance with the
requirements of the strategy of export and foreign trade, make adjustment
in the structure and the orientation of investment for technical
advancement, and link up the various measures adopted for technical
transformation, the tackling of difficult problems (in science and
technology), the importation of technology, testing and inspection, the
expansion of production, and the reduction in consumption of raw materials
and energy, at the key production enterprises, specialized factories, and
production bases for the manufacture of export commodities by taking the
improvement of the quality of products and the increases in foreign
exchange earnings as the focal point. Strenuous efforts shall be devoted
to the improvement of the warehousing and storage conditions for export
commodities, so as to reduce or eliminate the contamination of or damages
to export commodities.
V. Clearly Defining the Responsibility for the Quality of Export
Commodities
In order to guarantee the quality of export commodities, all units and
departments concerned must have both a clear-out definition of the job
responsibility and rules. If the poor quality of some export commodities
has resulted in economic losses or made a negative reflection on China's
reputation, it is imperative to check up on the responsibilities to be
borne by the production and processing enterprises, the foreign trade
corporations, the warehousing and storage units, the department for
commodities inspection, or other departments concerned. Cases of quality
problem caused by dereliction or neglect of one's duty shall be looked
into, and the person in charge as well as the leading personnel involved
shall be held responsible and be dealt with in all seriousness.
VI. Further Improving the Packing of Export Commodities
The China National Packing Import and Export Company shall, in cooperation
with the China National Packing Corporation, conduct further studies on,
and work out programs and measures for the improvement of the packing of
export commodities. Each year, efforts must be made to improve the packing
of certain categories of export commodities. At present, it is imperative
to improve the packing of foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco leaves, canned
foods, hardware, machinery, ceramics, textiles, garments, cotton, and
dangerous articles. The two companies shall coordinate the supply-and-
demand relationship between packing factories and packing material
suppliers, perfect the packing standards, and strengthen the work of
quality control, inspection and supervision.
VII. Strengthening the Standardization of Export Commodities, and
Improving the Conditions for Conducting Measurement at Ports
(1) The authorities of standardization of commodities inspection, and of
foreign economic relations and trade shall, in cooperation with various
competent organs, speed up the formulation and revision of the standards
for export commodities and inspection criteria.
(2) The competent authorities of transportation shall, in cooperation with
the authorities of commodities inspection and metrological authorities,
submit a plan to improve metrological conditions at ports and incorporate
it into the program for technological transformation of the competent
authorities of transportation and the interested localities so as to
improve basically the metrological conditions at ports within 3 years.
VIII. Strengthening the Administration of Trademarks of Export Commodities
and Patented Products
With respect to the use of trademarks for export commodities of famous
brands, the authorities of foreign economic relations and trade and the
administrative departments for industry and commerce shall jointly conduct
a checking-up and rectification campaign to strengthen the administration
and protect export commodities of famous brands. Without the approval of
the competent authorities at a higher level or without the consent of the
patentee, no production enterprises and foreign trade corporations may
produce patented products for export and engage in export of such
products. Cases occurring either at home or abroad of infringements or
illegal acts such as counterfeiting the trademarks of our export
commodities, imitating the patented commodities we export or forging our
export commodities inspection certificates shall be resolutely
investigated and dealt with, and the offenders shall even be prosecuted in
time so as to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the enterprises
as well as of the State.
If no inappropriateness is found in the recommendations submitted above,
we request that they be approved and transmitted to all the localities and
departments for implementation.
ment of the warehousing and storage conditions for export
commodities, so as to reduce or eliminate the contamination of or damages
to export commodities.
V. Clearly Defining the Responsibility for the Quality of Export
Commodities
In order to guarantee the quality of export commodities, all units and
departments concerned must have both a clear-out definition of the job
responsibility and rules. If the poor quality of some export commodities
has resulted in economic losses or made a negative reflection on China's
reputation, it is imperative to check up on the responsibilities to be
borne by the production and processing enterprises, the foreign trade
corporations, the warehousing and storage units, the department for
commodities inspection, or other departments concerned. Cases of quality
problem caused by dereliction or neglect of one's duty shall be looked
into, and the person in charge as well as the leading personnel involved
shall be held responsible and be dealt with in all seriousness.
VI. Further Improving the Packing of Export Commodities
The China National Packing Import and Export Company shall, in cooperation
with the China National Packing Corporation, conduct further studies on,
and work out programs and measures for the improvement of the packing of
export commodities. Each year, efforts must be made to improve the packing
of certain categories of export commodities. At present, it is imperative
to improve the packing of foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco leaves, canned
foods, hardware, machinery, ceramics, textiles, garments, cotton, and
dangerous articles. The two companies shall coordinate the supply-and-
demand relationship between packing factories and packing material
suppliers, perfect the packing standards, and strengthen the work of
quality control, inspection and supervision.
VII. Strengthening the Standardization of Export Commodities, and
Improving the Conditions for Conducting Measurement at Ports
(1) The authorities of standardization of commodities inspection, and of
foreign economic relations and trade shall, in cooperation with various
competent organs, speed up the formulation and revision of the standards
for export commodities and inspection criteria.
(2) The competent authorities of transportation shall, in cooperation with
the authorities of commodities inspection and metrological authorities,
submit a plan to improve metrological conditions at ports and incorporate
it into the program for technological transformation of the competent
authorities of transportation and the interested localities so as to
improve basically the metrological conditions at ports within 3 years.
VIII. Strengthening the Administration of Trademarks of Export Commodities
and Patented Products
With respect to the use of trademarks for export commodities of famous
brands, the authorities of foreign economic relations and trade and the
administrative departments for industry and commerce shall jointly conduct
a checking-up and rectification campaign to strengthen the administration
and protect export commodities of famous brands. Without the approval of
the competent authorities at a higher level or without the consent of the
patentee, no production enterprises and foreign trade corporations may
produce patented products for export and engage in export of such
products. Cases occurring either at home or abroad of infringements or
illegal acts such as counterfeiting the trademarks of our export
commodities, imitating the patented commodities we export or forging our
export commodities inspection certificates shall be resolutely
investigated and dealt with, and the offenders shall even be prosecuted in
time so as to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the enterprises
as well as of the State.
If no inappropriateness is found in the recommendations submitted above,
we request that they be approved and transmitted to all the localities and
departments for implementation.
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