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US seeks China office to ensure export safety

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-07-31 11:21

HONG KONG: US regulators announced plans Thursday to set up a Beijing office to help ensure Chinese exports are safe for Americans following a slew of recalls involving everything from pet food to children's toys.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission was seeking to establish a permanent presence overseas for the first time to better cooperate with Chinese regulators and companies so the country's products are up to US standards, the agency's chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum said.

"We will have (commission) staff working in the embassy in Beijing to work with manufacturers and (Chinese regulators), so that we can continue our dialogue, communications and collaborative approach," she said in Hong Kong.

The office is ready to open in October but still requires China's final approval, according to commission officials.

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The quality of China's exports came under international scrutiny in March 2007 after dog and cat deaths in North America were reportedly linked to a pet food ingredient made in China.

America's Mattel Inc. also recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys worldwide in 2007. Products including Barbie doll accessories and toy cars were pulled off shelves because of concerns about lead paint or tiny detachable magnets that could be swallowed by children.

Tenenbaum said one major task of the Beijing office is to educate Chinese manufacturers about the new requirements under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which becomes effective Aug. 14 in the US.

The act, which was passed last summer, imposes tough standards for lead and chemicals called phthalates in products intended for children age 12 and under.

With a more stringent standard being put in place, Tenenbaum said she is confident that it won't dampen Sino-US trade relations.

"America and China have mutual economic interests," she said. "We believe that Chinese manufacturers are working to comply with this law because the retailers, particularly the large retailers in the America, are requiring the manufacturers to meet this standard."