The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology releases new standards for the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises, bringing unified norms for mini-program development and system integration.
[Beijing, December 18, 2025] The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology today officially released the "Assessment Standards for Digital Transformation Service Capabilities of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises" and the "Technical Standards for Mini-Program Development and System Integration (Trial)." These are the first national technical standards introduced in China for the informatization services sector targeting small and medium-sized enterprises, marking a new stage of standardized development in the software service and development industry.
The new standard was jointly developed by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the China Software Industry Association, several leading software service providers, and representatives of small and medium-sized enterprises, taking two years to complete. It primarily includes two core components: first, it establishes a tiered evaluation system for the service capabilities of software service providers targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (covering custom development, SaaS services, system integration, etc.), with quantitative assessments across six dimensions, including technical strength, project implementation, and after-sales support; second, it clarifies technical requirements such as data interfaces, security specifications, and cross-platform compatibility for the widely used mini-program development and system integration, addressing the long-standing issue of "data silos" between systems from different service providers.
In terms of background, as China's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enter a deeper phase of digital transformation, the market demand for software services is growing. However, this has also exposed issues such as uneven service quality, high costs for custom development, and difficulties in integrating different systems. In particular, mini-programs, which serve as a crucial tool for SMEs to reach customers, lack unified development standards, making it challenging for businesses to maintain and upgrade them in the long run. The introduction of the new standards aims to regulate market order and reduce the technical barriers and risks associated with digital transformation for enterprises.
Impact Analysis: For the industry, the new standards will accelerate the reshuffling of the software services market. Compliant service providers with standardized development processes, robust integration capabilities, and continuous service strength will gain recognition from both policy and the market. In contrast, smaller teams that rely on low-price competition and non-standardized technologies may face pressure to transform or be phased out. For system integrators, standardized interface specifications will significantly reduce the complexity and communication costs of project delivery.
For small and medium-sized enterprise users, the new standards provide a clear "selection guide." Companies can more confidently purchase information technology services based on service provider ratings, avoiding potential pitfalls. The unified applet development standards also mean that when businesses switch service providers or expand functionalities in the future, data migration and system integration will be smoother, effectively protecting their digital assets.
Future Outlook: Industry experts predict that with the implementation of standards, the SME informatization market will exhibit three major trends by 2026: First, the "standardized products + light customization" model may become mainstream, enabling service providers to quickly deliver cost-effective solutions based on standard frameworks. Second, mini-program development will integrate more deeply with backend business systems (such as ERP and CRM), evolving into "lightweight enterprise-level applications." Third, a batch of third-party institutions specializing in standards compliance testing and certification services may emerge, forming a new industry segment. In the long run, unified technical standards will lay the foundation for industrial internet platform development and cross-enterprise data collaboration, helping SMEs truly integrate into the digital ecosystem.
(Comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's official website and industry analysis reports)