A nonprofit body hoping to create a standardized base for electronic commerce transactions in East Asia said Monday it has signed an agreement with a state-run Chinese organization for joint research and development activities.
The accord was reached between the Tokyo-based East Asia Electronic Commerce Association and the China National Institute of Standardization, which supervises what is expected to grow over the next few years into one of the world's biggest e-commerce markets.
EA-ECA Chairman Atsushi Aiba said both sides will join forces in advancing studies as well as development and demonstration work to standardize a variety of codes, databases and other e-commerce-related transactions.
The EA-ECA also plans to team up with similar standardization organizations in the United States and Europe for broad-based e-commerce standardization, which would make it easier for worldwide transactions of products unique to East Asia, such as Chinese herbal medicines and kimchi. EA-ECA Executive Director Shinichi Ohara said Beijing is eager to develop a common base for e-commerce, and achievements of joint activities to be pursued under the latest arrangement with the CNIS might be adopted as China's national standards.