The top quality agency granted inspection-free quality certification to 1,302 companies on Friday in Beijing.

Of the total, 865 were awarded certificates for the first time, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said. The others had their certificates, which are valid for three years, renewed.

Having a certificate entitles a company to label its products with a special symbol indicating that it meets national quality standards.

Such products are also exempt from inspections and examinations by domestic product quality agencies.

"However, that doesn't mean these companies will go unsupervised," Li Changjiang, minister of the AQSIQ, said.

If any of them are found turning out substandard goods, "we will definitely smash their rice bowls," he said.

The policy of halting inspections of certified firms has been in place for eight years.

Products in 196 categories, including food, commodities, industrial materials and agricultural materials, manufactured by 4,273 firms, have obtained inspection-free qualifications, according to statistics from the AQSIQ.

Many of the companies that have secured official quality certifications have found it easier to compete both at home and abroad.

"The system helps people to make informed decisions. It has also enhanced product quality and safety and strengthened governmental supervision of the market," Li said.

These firms and their products have done much to polish the reputation of made-in-China products, he said.

(China Daily December 15, 2007)