Bridging east and west technology standards
China has always been a formidable player in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Lately the country has become remarkably active in a number of areas of ICT interoperability standards, and is looking to the EU for cooperation in this field. Because these standards could have important consequences for the global ICT market and for the European economy, the EU also wants to work with China in this area. The 'China EU information technology standards research partnership' (China EU standards) project is fostering research collaboration and engagement between research and policy in relation to ICT standardisation in China and Europe. The project is bringing together leading European and Chinese centres for research into ICT interoperability standards to examine standardisation processes and associated policies between EU and China. It has developed a knowledge network of leading players in the field, within Europe, China and beyond. The project looks at new technology in China and its standards, comparing it with those of the EU. Currently, the project team is investigating standards and formats related to third- and fourth-generation mobile telephony, audiovisual technology and mobile broadcasting. It is looking into the implementation and adoption of these standards, including their impact on innovation and markets. The team is also studying how open these standards will be, the alignment between regional economies, competition leading to 'standards wars', and fragmentation of global markets. China has shown its commitment to coordinating the implementation of selected standards and building related large-scale IT infrastructures. This coincides with increasing globalisation of standardisation and associated innovation, calling into question simple 'indigenous' technologies, i.e. those that work only on national or regional standards. The findings of this project so far have been discussed with Chinese and European standards bodies and policy communities. These findings have been refined and disseminated through two high-level policy workshops organised in Beijing, China and Brussels, Belgium. If there is more compatibility between the standards and formats of China and Europe, ICT collaboration between them will most likely bloom, and so will trade in this respect. The project is set to overcome a major technological challenge that has important bearing upon the global economy in the 21st century.
