China Launches Recruitment for ISO/IEC Smart City Technical Bodies

On August 28, 2026, the Department of Standards Innovative Management under the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued a notice launching the recruitment of secretariats and domestic technical mirroring units for a new batch of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) technical bodies. The move is intended to advance China’s participation in international standardization work in emerging fields.

According to the accompanying Annex 1, the recruitment covers five subcommittees under ISO/IEC JTC 4, the joint technical committee on smart and sustainable cities and communities. The five bodies include:

ISO/IEC JTC 4/SC 1 Smart Community Infrastructures
ISO/IEC JTC 4/SC 2 Sustainable Mobility and Transportation
ISO/IEC JTC 4/SC 3 ICT and Digitalization Aspects
ISO/IEC JTC 4/SC 4 Systems Aspects of Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities
ISO/IEC JTC 4/SC 5, Community Aspects

All five are newly established technical bodies. China is to host the secretariats of SC 3, SC 4, and SC 5, and the notice therefore seeks both secretariat hosts and domestic mirroring units for those three subcommittees. For SC 1 and SC 2, China is seeking domestic technical mirroring units only.

Eligible applicants must be legally established in China with independent legal person status, including enterprises, public institutions, research organizations, and social groups. They must demonstrate strong technical strength, influence, and organizational capacity for international standardization activities, and must provide necessary funding and office conditions. Applicants are also required to assign full-time staff familiar with international standardization procedures and proficient in foreign languages, and to form supporting teams.

Applications must be submitted to the Department of Standards Innovative Management by September 16, 2026. Required materials include the relevant application form, an official application letter from the host institution, and a recommendation letter from the industry supervisory authority. The Department of Standards Innovative Management will review all applications and publish qualified candidates on the website of the National Standardization Administration (SAC) for a five-working-day public notice period. If multiple units apply for the same position, or if objections are raised during the notice period, interviews and defenses will be arranged. Final decisions will take into account contributions and experience in international standardization work.

For European stakeholders, China’s assumption of these secretariats and mirror committees marks a significant adjustment in the international standardization governance architecture for smart and sustainable cities. The standard-setting process will increasingly incorporate China’s practical experience in urban development and digital governance. This shift underscores that technical coordination and collaborative rule-building within the ISO/IEC multilateral framework will be key variables shaping the future trajectory of global standards for urban sustainability.

Source: https://www.samr.gov.cn/bzcxs/tzgg/art/2026/art_20390ccd8cf14872b6c9544cfb2820d5.html