As the world's largest maker and exporter of toys, China
yesterday reiterated that it would do whatever it could to
guarantee the safety of its products.
Each new type of toy is to be subject to compulsory testing
before production starts. Random factory inspections and sample
testing will also help ensure quality control, Wang Xin, director
of the inspection and supervision department of the General
Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
(AQSIQ), said.
"Toys are always a top concern of ours as they'll be in the
hands of children," he told visiting European Union Consumer
Protection Commissioner Meglena Kuneva during a trip to a toy
factory and testing center in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province.
He said China had consistently worked to make sure that "every
piece exported meets the standards of the importing countries".
But the director also acknowledged that problems existed because
of the huge volume of goods involved and asked for more information
about seizures of unsafe products from the EU to Chinese
authorities.
Figures from the China Toy Association show that toy exports
exceeded $17.8 billion last year. The United States and the EU were
the two biggest markets. Exports to the EU reached $4.6 billion,
and more than a half of all the toys sold in Europe came from
China.
An EU report showed that last year, toys for the first time
overtook electrical appliances in terms of RAPEX notifications.
RAPEX is Europe's alert system for dangerous consumer products.
Toys received 221 notifications last year, accounting for 24
percent of the total notifications issued. Choking caused by small
parts, injuries from sharp edges and chemical risks were the top
three threats.
The report did not say how many of the dangerous toys were from
China, but it did say that about half of all the unsafe products
had originated here.
"Therefore, China is a very big concern for our product safety,"
Kuneva said while giving a briefing to reporters after the
tour.
The commissioner said she hoped to intensify cooperation with
China on product safety.
(China Daily July 26, 2007)
