The interjection of nationalist politics into standards setting, particularly in areas where global technological coordination is important for increasing the supply of and access to public goods, is of considerable concern. Globalization of trade, investment and technology flows places increasing pressures on national regulations of all kinds, ranging from competition regulation to financial standards such as capital requirements. Whether and how these regulations should be subject to greater multilateral or global coordination is a central policy issue.

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After the establishment of the mobile telephony infrastructures in Europe and the US during the 1990ies, the Asian mobile markets, especially China moved into the focus of industry and policy. The policy makers in China were well aware on the one hand that the large Chinese market was able to serve as a base for the establishment of a mobile telecommunication standard as a tool for supporting the development of the national industry. On the other hand, they also perceived that the technological capacity of Chinese firms ten years ago was not sufficient advanced yet to elaborate a China-specific  mobile standard that might eventually be competitive at international markets. However it is not clear that there was a rational and concerted policy process across the Chinese government with regards to telecommunications: one would argue that telecommunications policy and industry policy were operating rather separately.
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