The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued the Industrial Internet Innovation and Development Action Plan (2021-2023) on 13 January 2021. The purpose is to carry out the innovation and development strategy of industrial internet, and to promote the integration and development of industry and digitalization.

This document proposed development goals for 2023 in areas including industrial and digital infrastructure, application of industrial internet, technological innovation, cultivation of industrial ecology and security and services. Meanwhile, it put forward that we should facilitate technical innovation through standardization: “By 2023, we should establish a more comprehensive working mechanism for the standardization of industrial internet and a unified, integrated and open system of industrial internet standards should be basically in place. In addition, we need to finish the research and development of more than 60 key standards.”

To accomplish these goals, the following requirements for standardization were outlined:

  • Strengthen the working mechanism. We should bring into play the national coordinated advancement group, general group, and advisory group for industrial internet standards, promote the research on the planning system of industrial internet standards and the implementation of relevant policies and measures, and advance the coordination between different departments, different industries, and different fields on major issues.
  • Improve the system of standards. We should combine the applications of new technology such as 5G, edge computing, artificial intelligence, and the development trends of industries. Moreover, we need to clarify the key areas and direction of standardization to guide the promotion and implementation of standardization in subdivisions.
  • Research and develop standards in key areas. Standards in industries including basic generic technologies, key technologies and typical applications are urgently needed. In addition, we should strengthen the protection and application of intellectual property in industrial internet and promote the implementation the national standards series Navigation for Patents (GB/T39551.1~7-2020) (herein “navigation” means patents retrieval and analysis), so as to improve the service for industrial intellectual property and ensure a simultaneous improvement of the quantity and quality of industrial internet intellectual property.
  • Intensify international cooperation. We should actively participate in international activities in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the research and development of international standards. We should also strengthen technical communication and standardization cooperation with international industry advancement groups to promote the application and sharing of standards.

With regards to the development of specific technical standards, the article highlights:

  • Basic generic standards in internet, platforms, security systems, general requirements, and the definition of terms.
  • Key technical standards in “5G plus industrial internet”, the model of network information, industrial big data, and safety protection.
  • Application standards in key industries such as raw materials, equipment, and electronic information.
  • Standards of data exchange interfaces in industrial internet big data centers.
  • Standards for key technology of cryptographic applications.
  • Standards for the classification and grading of enterprise cybersecurity.
  • Standards for full life cycle processing, classification and grading and transactions assessment of industrial data.

Background:

SAC and MIIT released Guidelines for the Establishment of the Integrated Standardization System for Industrial Internet in January 2019 to guide the standardization of industrial internet. This guideline presents the framework of China’s industrial internet standards system, which includes 320 government standards projects (national standards and sector standards), covering several technical fields including basic generic technology, networks, logos, edge computing, platforms and data, industrial apps, security, typical applications, and vertical industry applications. While 45 projects have been completed and 76 projects have been initiated before the proposal of the system, there are 199 standards to be developed. In December 2019, MIIT set up the coordinated advancement group, general group, and advisory group for industrial internet standards. The coordinated advancement group takes charge of the coordination of government departments and the advisory group should provide consultation and advice. The general group is responsible for the research on the need of standards for industrial internet and formulation of plans, systems, policies, and measures for standardization of industrial internet under the guide of the coordinated advancement group and advisory group. It should also coordinate the technical contents and technical management of industrial internet standards and strengthen the joint effort from different areas and different industries in the research and development of industrial internet standards. This general group has started its work in July 2020.

http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2021-01/13/content_5579519.htm