New Chinese Technical Standards for Household Appliances and Power Supplies (January 2025)

In January 2025, China announced important revisions to its technical standards for household electrical appliances and power supplies. These updates, issued by the China Quality Certification Centre (CQC), mark a significant shift toward stricter safety and energy efficiency requirements for a range of electrical products.

The newly updated standards apply to a wide variety of electrical and household appliances, including:

• External Power Adapters used for products like laptops and mobile phones.
• Battery Chargers: Chargers for mobile phones, power banks, and other devices.
• Household Appliances: Products such as dishwashers, tumble dryers, and electric irons.

Key Changes in the Technical Standards:

The GB/T 4706.1-2024 standard, which replaces the previous GB 4706.1-2005, focuses on improving electrical safety and ensuring that household appliances do not pose hazards like electric shock, fire, or malfunction. This updated standard is largely aligned with the IEC 60335-1:2016 international standard.

The new requirements include more robust testing methods for electrical shock protection, improved thermal management to prevent overheating, and better safeguards against fire risks.

The GB 4343.1-2024 standard focuses on reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) from household appliances. It is based on the CISPR 14-1:2020 guidelines, which require that appliances do not cause interference with communication systems and other electronic equipment.

The new EMC standards address both emissions and immunity requirements, ensuring that appliances will not disturb radio, television, and mobile communications while maintaining their functionality.

For manufacturers—both domestic and international—these updated standards represent a considerable shift in requirements for products sold in China. Specifically:

Compliance with New Testing Procedures: Manufacturers must ensure their products undergo updated testing procedures to meet the new safety, EMC, and energy efficiency standards. This may require adjustments to both production and testing processes to align with the new regulations.

Certification Process: All affected products will need to be certified by the CQC under the new standards. This means that products previously certified under older versions of the standards will need to undergo re-certification.

Transition Period: While the new standards come into full effect by mid-2026, manufacturers have a transition period to adapt their products. However, by August 2026, the old versions of the standards will no longer be accepted for certification, making it imperative for manufacturers to comply sooner rather than later.

More information:
Anja Jerovsek
E-mail: anja.jerovsek@siq.si
Tel.: +386 1 4778 147