On 29 Oct 2018, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs invited a 30-day consultation on 203 MRLs for 65 pesticide active ingredients.

On 25 Oct 2018, China MoARA released the 1st batch of testing institutes for pesticide registration experimentation. A total of 26 labs have been approved to conduct studies covering product chemistry, efficacy, toxicology, residue, and environmental impact.

On 12 Oct 2018, China NHC released the hygienic standard “WS 628-2018 Technical Requirements for the hygiene and safety evaluation of disinfection products”, which will be mandatorily implemented starting on the 1st of Mar 2019. The new standard includes some technical amendments to a former ministerial regulation, “Rules on the Hygienic and Safety Assessment on Disinfection Products”. Prior to marketing existing Category I and Category II disinfection products in China, producers and importers need to conduct hygiene and safety assessment and file the assessment report at provincial health departments. WS 628-2018 will be enforced in parallel with the ministerial rules. Producers and importers need to comply with the technical requirements in product testing, sample preparation and report compilation and follow the administrative requirements set forth in the rules.

In 2017, China promulgated series of new pesticide regulations and significantly raised the market threshold with added data, elevated criteria and narrowed acceptance scope. It is also the first time that MoARA will have to disclose quality standard code and testing method for registered pesticide, which constitute an important part of product chemistry data. Mr. Huang Qiliang from Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences joined CRAC 2018 conference in Chengdu to summarize and compare the critical points in dossier preparation for traditional chemical pesticides and biopesticides, as well as introduce the latest official guidelines for pesticide testing and method validation.

On 23 Aug 2018, China MoARA consulted on proposed bans of 4 highly toxic insecticides: phorate, aldicarb, isocarbophos and sulfluramid.

On 6 Jun 2018, Chinese SMAR and SAC issued the Standardization Announcement 9 of 2018 to promulgate 393 national standards and 7 English translated standards, of which 5 standards are for household paper products including sanitary napkin, tissue, diaper and household paper adsorbent polymers, etc. This move is one of the achievement of the “Improvement Plan for the Standardization and Quality of Consumer Products”, aimed at boosting domestic consumer market by strengthening technology legislation for priority consumer products including maternal, child, older and handicapped supplies, household appliances, consumer electronics, household decorations, costumes and ornaments, cosmetics and household chemicals, educational and sporting goods, cultural artifact, food and its related products.

On 22 Jun 2018, China NHC revealed that the final edition of the mandatory hygienic standard “Technical Requirements for the Hygienic Safety Assessment on Disinfection Products” has been submitted to the SAC (Standardization Administration) for final approval and promulgation.

On 22 Jun 2018, China NHC, MoARA and SAMR jointly issued the Announcement 6 of 2018 to release the GB 2763.1-2018 and 8 testing methods of pesticide MRLs in food, some of which were publically consulted late last year and to be implemented on 21 Dec 2018.

On 31 May 2018, China MoARA invited a 30-day consultation on 576 MRLs for 118 pesticide active ingredients and 4 testing methods of pesticide residues in plant-origin food.

On 25 Apr 2018, Shanghai NHC hosted an internal workshop to clarify common technical and regulatory issues which arose during the trial opening of the national electronic filing system of disinfection products. The new system collects safety assessment reports, product information and company details of all existing disinfection products. It was also revealed that a new inventory of antimicrobial ingredients is expected to be released this year which will define the scope of general household products and disinfection products. In future household products using biocidal ingredients and ambiguous efficacy labeling claims will no longer be able to evade filing or NHC's apprval requirements.