Reuters AlertNet Lite - China pledges safety improvements in six months

Reuters AlertNet Full site

NEWSDESK

China pledges safety improvements in six months

25 Aug 2007 05:02:14 GMT
Source: Reuters

BEIJING, Aug 25 (Reuters) - China's Commerce Minister said he believed the country would see a "remarkable increase" in quality standards within six months, an official paper said on Saturday, as the country fights to restore confidence in its exports.

"Even if only 1 percent of products have quality problems we will take this very seriously as its related to public health," the official China Daily quoted Bo Xilai saying after meeting a Russian trade delegation.

China has launched a "war" on tainted food, drugs and exports, focusing on problem products that have corroded domestic and foreign consumers' confidence in the "made-in-China" label.

The world's largest toymaker, Mattel <MAT.N>, last week recalled over 18 million Chinese-made toys because of hazards from small magnets that can cause injury if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears over lead paint.

Other Chinese export scares have hit toothpaste, animal food ingredients, tyres, eels and seafood. Deadly chemicals have found their way into cough medicine, killing patients in Panama.

Bo said the goals Beijing has set for the end of 2007 -- including inspecting all suppliers of raw materials for export manufacturers and monitoring all agricultural wholesale markets -- were tough, but practical and scientific.

China's food watchdog also said on Friday that it would step up enforcement of a quality labelling system launched in 2001.

AlertNet news is provided by

Email this article Send comments

Countries

Small country map
© 2004 Europa Technologies Ltd.

Reset map

• China profile
· View map

MORE >>

NGO latest

• ACT Dateline: ACT members increase support to flood-affected communities in Asia
ACT - Switzerland

• ACT Dateline: ACT members continue flood responses in Asia
ACT - Switzerland

• World Vision: Weaker Hurricane Dean still poses threat to E. Mexico
WV - USA

• As Hurricane Dean bears down on Mexico, World Vision prepares response
WV - USA

• SOUTHEAST ASIA FLOODSURGENT BULLETIN
ADRA - Canada

MORE >>

Latest news

• China pledges safety improvements in six months

• Panama wants Spaniard extradited over toxic syrup

• ANALYSIS-Warner call on Iraq troops an alert for Bush

• 310,000 still without power in US Midwest

• Gen. Pace denies will urge U.S. troop cut in Iraq

MORE >>

Last updated:Sat Aug 25 05:02:28 2007