BEIJING: Toy retailer Ma Haibo is unfazed by the recent scandals over dangerous Chinese products. In fact, he does not even know of the recall of 18 million toys in the United States that made global headlines. "I have not heard much about these reports, but our business is still very good," said the 28-year-old at his stall in Beijing's biggest toy market.
"China's quality controls these days are very good. Foreign countries have different standards from us but I think they may have ulterior motives sometimes when they criticise us." Mattel announced on Tuesday that it had recalled 18 million Chinese-made products worldwide due to concern the toys may contain toxic lead-based paints and dangerous magnets.
The news has gone unreported in China's state-run media so far, following a familiar pattern of government-ordered silence surrounding other high-profile international recalls of Chinese exports in recent months. Most toy vendors at the indoor Hongqiao market said they had not heard of the slew of safety scandals that had hit China recently, as they insisted the items they were selling were safe and met national standards. "I don't rule out there are substandard toys in China. After all, the toy market is so big," said Yang Long, another vendor at the market. "But quality has really improved in the past two years -- the commerce and industry bureau carries out spot checks nearly every week. "Besides, our customers are a lot more discerning these days because each family can only have one child and they don't mind paying more for safer products." Yang, like other vendors, was unaware of a report by China's quality-control watchdog in May that said more than 20 percent of toys made for the domestic market were substandard or potentially dangerous.
The report, published in the English-language China Daily newspaper but almost totally ignored in the mainstream Chinese press, said at least 10,000 children were hurt by dangerous toys each year. The General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine then announced last month it would introduce new rules to improve toy safety. It said it would test each new product for safety risks before manufacture, while random factory inspections and sample testing would be introduced. Meanwhile, Chinese parents say they can do little but trust the authorities and exercise care when selecting toys for their young ones. "Of course we have concerns but what can you do?" said a 60-year-old retiree surnamed Peng who was choosing a toy car for his grandson at the Hongqiao market. "You just have to be careful and examine the quality yourself."
"China's quality controls these days are very good. Foreign countries have different standards from us but I think they may have ulterior motives sometimes when they criticise us." Mattel announced on Tuesday that it had recalled 18 million Chinese-made products worldwide due to concern the toys may contain toxic lead-based paints and dangerous magnets.
The news has gone unreported in China's state-run media so far, following a familiar pattern of government-ordered silence surrounding other high-profile international recalls of Chinese exports in recent months. Most toy vendors at the indoor Hongqiao market said they had not heard of the slew of safety scandals that had hit China recently, as they insisted the items they were selling were safe and met national standards. "I don't rule out there are substandard toys in China. After all, the toy market is so big," said Yang Long, another vendor at the market. "But quality has really improved in the past two years -- the commerce and industry bureau carries out spot checks nearly every week. "Besides, our customers are a lot more discerning these days because each family can only have one child and they don't mind paying more for safer products." Yang, like other vendors, was unaware of a report by China's quality-control watchdog in May that said more than 20 percent of toys made for the domestic market were substandard or potentially dangerous.
The report, published in the English-language China Daily newspaper but almost totally ignored in the mainstream Chinese press, said at least 10,000 children were hurt by dangerous toys each year. The General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine then announced last month it would introduce new rules to improve toy safety. It said it would test each new product for safety risks before manufacture, while random factory inspections and sample testing would be introduced. Meanwhile, Chinese parents say they can do little but trust the authorities and exercise care when selecting toys for their young ones. "Of course we have concerns but what can you do?" said a 60-year-old retiree surnamed Peng who was choosing a toy car for his grandson at the Hongqiao market. "You just have to be careful and examine the quality yourself."