The quality watchdog Monday vowed to come down hard on producers
of substandard goods while insisting that different national
standards and inaccurate data have also led to a large part of
exports being pegged as "defective".
"We endorse enterprises' recall measures. We will strictly
scrutinize producers and punish (those churning out shoddy or
unsafe products)," watchdog chief Li Changjiang said on Monday in
Beijing.
Li, head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine, said the agency had carefully studied
the quality and safety concerns about Chinese products, some of
which have been recalled.
"We take these problems very seriously, " he told a press
conference held by the State Council Information Office yesterday,
the second time he has attended such an occasion in five weeks.
"We've penalized exporters which flout standards."
For example, the two firms whose chemical tainted pet food had
been exported to North America were stripped of licenses, and their
chief executives face criminal prosecution, Li said.
The plants which had produced toys for Mattel for many years had
sustained huge losses because of the recent massive recalls of
their products, and the owners are under "great pressure",
according to Li.
Altogether, the US toy behemoth has recalled 20.2 million
China-made toys because of hazards from small magnets and fears
over lead in paint.
But Li made it clear that the Chinese side is not the only one
to blame. "Of all the recalled products, 85 percent were
manufactured in line with US designs and the requirements of US
importers," Li said, adding the remaining 15 percent contained
excessive levels of lead according to US standards.
"I've checked a few problematic toys myself and I think there do
exist serious design defects, so serious that they would be
recalled in any country, because they could harm children."
The producers in China have taken responsibility, but what kind
of responsibility should the US importers and designers assume, the
minister asked.
Overall, Chinese toys are safe, the official said.
Li also said China and the US have varying standards for some
products, so there are differences in defining product safety.
(China Daily August 28, 2007)