China blames quality problems on changing standards, foreign designs

China strongly defended the quality of its exports Monday, saying some problems were a result of varying global product standards and that a mass recall of toys was largely a result of faulty U.S. designs and not Chinese workmanship.

Li Changjiang, head of one of China's quality watchdogs, said "the different standards that China and the United States apply to different products" have been at the root of some of the recent tensions.

"That would lead to difficulty in defining whether a product is problematic," Li, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said at a news conference. He did not elaborate.

Li's comments were the latest in China's attempts to prove it is working to overcome its safety woes, and is a trustworthy manufacturer for both its people and the world. But continuing discoveries of high levels of chemicals and toxins in Chinese goods — from toothpaste and clothes, to fish and juice — have made salvaging its reputation an uphill task.

Mattel recalled over 18M toys in August

Earlier this month, Mattel Inc. recalled more than 18 million Chinese-made dolls, cars and action figures because they were contaminated with lead paint or contained small, powerful magnets that children might swallow and damage their organs.

"About 85 per cent were directly designed by the American company and produced according to requirements of the American importer," Li said.

"I personally have seen some of the toys. There are serious problems in their design, so they are highly dangerous for children. These types of toys would be recalled in any country."

Li added: "While we recognize that Chinese producers should be blamed for those problematic toys, what kind of responsibility should the U.S. importers and U.S. designers take in this respect?"

He did not give details on the alleged design problems. Chinese officials said last week that 18.2 million of the recalled products — including popular Polly Pocket dolls and Barbie play sets — were pulled off the shelves because of a revision of international standards in May involving magnets.

Mattel first announced a recall targeting magnets in November 2006, after several Polly Pocket-related injuries were reported. It extended that recall this month following the change in industry standards that required safety warnings for toys with magnets or magnetic components not attached tightly.

Li said that overall Chinese-made toys were safe, and that the number recalled were a small part of the 22 billiontoys exported from China last year.

He also defended Chinese clothing exports. Last week, New Zealand launched an urgent investigation after children's clothes imported from China were found to contain dangerously high levels of formaldehyde.

Chinese tests showed the clothing meets Chinese standards for flammability and formaldehyde, Li said.