"This is a problem that HKPC has never been able to help answer," he said. "Unless the dilemma is solved, it is difficult to convince the local SIs to be certified."

But Wan said JOS believe the certification will bring recognition to its China branch, thus they plan to apply for CISIQ in two months. The company is currently aiming to apply for Level-2 or Level-3 certification.

Automated Systems Holding (ASL), also a major SI in Hong Kong, sees the certification very differently.

"The certification is quite meaningless," said Yam Ting Lai, managing director of ASL. The company studied the CISIQ, but did not apply for it. "The question is: why do we need that certification in the first place?"

ASL started its business in China in the 1980s. Its clients are mainly multinational corporations in China and local companies with projects being extended into the mainland. With an established history in China, the company does not need the certification to be recognized for its capability, he added.