In March 2021, the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (hereinafter referred to as the "Standards") was issued by the Ministry of Education of China and the National Language Commission as a national linguistic specification, and came into force on July 1, 2021. Serving as China's first normative framework for foreign Chinese language learners, the Standards comprehensively describes and evaluates their Chinese language skills and proficiency. It classifies their Chinese proficiency into "three stages and nine levels", establishes "four-dimensional conception" based on four fundamental linguistic elements, namely, syllables, characters, vocabulary, and grammar, forms three evaluation dimensions through verbal communicative competence, topic task content and quantitative linguistic indices, as well as precisely determines the learners' Chinese proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and translating.

In April of the same year, the CLEC released the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (National Standard: Application and Interpretation) in three volumes, which further explains the Standards' overall framework, descriptors, List of Syllables, List of Characters, Vocabulary List, and Syllabus of Graded Grammar. Its rich presentation formats and user-friendly retrieval functions facilitate reference and application.

The Standards has been translated and published in 16 languages, significantly facilitating Chinese learning for students and teaching for teachers worldwide. It also provides normative references and resources for international Chinese language education across schools and institutions in various countries.

Since its implementation, the CLEC has actively promoted its interpretation and global application while expanding its international influence and recognition. The key measures include: aligning the Standards with other international language frameworks; launching an online query system for the Standards; organizing academic seminars, training sessions, and workshops dedicated to the Standards; creating teaching resources such as the Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education: Grammar Learning Manual; developing digital applications like the app of My Little Chinese Picture Dictionary; refining the existing six-level HSK test into its scientific 3.0 version with three stages and nine levels to better meet the needs. The multiple efforts provide abundant resources and opportunities for learners, educators, and researchers to understand and apply the Standards, enhance its adoption in local Chinese language education, and continuously improve the quality of international Chinese language education.