A green group urges Hong Kong to align with national standards on excessive packaging, citing 2.7 million kg of e-commerce waste last year. A survey found 60% of respondents deem packaging excessive, with 76% frustrated by the waste.
China's first national standard for trendy toys, "General Technical Requirements for Trendy Dolls and Similar Products," has officially begun development. This move aims to standardize and regulate the rapidly growing trillion-yuan industry, addressing issues of inconsistent product quality and consumer protection.
China has led the revision and release of an international standard for miniature fuses, specifically the "Small fuses - Part 4: Universal Modular Fuses (UMF) - Through-hole and Surface Mount Types." This standard addresses the evolving needs of the fuse industry towards miniaturization and improved performance.
China has led the development and release of the international standard "Information Technology – Security Services – Cryptographic Suites Conformance Testing Methods – Part 16: ECDSA-ECDH Cryptographic Suites." This standard, with fully independent intellectual property rights, provides a unified technical specification for the compliant application and security evaluation of international cryptographic suites, addressing security risks in IoT technologies.
Portable chargers are common but carry fire risks, as seen in recent incidents in Guangxi and Fujian. New national standards (GB 47372-2026) and CCC certification rules, effective March 31, 2027, enhance safety testing and require unique product codes and recommended safe usage periods to mitigate risks.
Global regulators will have to confront US policy on dollar-backed stablecoins as they seek international standards for payment tokens, Andrew Bailey said.
The WHO announced prequalification approval for artemether-lumefantrine, the first antimalarial formulation designed specifically for newborns and infants. Previously, infants were treated with formulations intended for older children, carrying greater risks of dosage errors, side effects and toxicity. This marks the first time the WHO has prequalified a malaria treatment for this age group.
Two Republican-backed data privacy bills set for introduction would create a national standard for how tech and finance companies handle user data, preempting nearly two dozen state laws. The SECURE Data Act targets technology companies while the GUARD Financial Data Act focuses on financial services. Both bills allow users to access, correct, delete data and opt out of targeted ads, but notably do not allow private lawsuits for violations.
