From Chinese Press

Stricter import rules needed

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-07 07:58

The State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) issued information on substandard imported food and cosmetics recently, according to which overseas products of about 300 foreign batches have to be either recalled or destroyed, says an article in China Youth Daily. Excerpts:

For long, Chinese consumers have thought foreign food and cosmetic products do not need to be tested for quality. Exploiting this mindset of Chinese consumers, some manufacturers and importers began selling substandard and even harmful imported products to make some fast buck. The series of food scandals, from the Sanlu contaminated baby food to the Synutra cases, consolidated Chinese consumers' belief in overseas products, which became increasingly expensive.

But Chinese consumers should know that not all foreign goods are safe just because some domestic products have been found to be harmful. They need to realize, too, that some foreign producers don't take their safety seriously because of their blind belief in the authenticity and quality of their products. An apt example is Toyota, which adopted different attitudes in recalling its defective cars from the Chinese and Western markets. Importers should not lower the quality control standards of the goods they order from abroad simply because they have a high demand in the domestic market. It's the importers that have to take the responsibility of quality inspection, because their earnestness determines the well-being of Chinese consumers.

Since the number of substandard and harmful overseas products entering China is rising, AQSIQ should expand its actions from warning against the use of or recalling certain products to punishing the culprits, be they exporters or importers.

Only strict supervision can avoid substandard and harmful products from entering the domestic market.

(China Daily 09/07/2010 page9)