Posted on 08/20/2007 4:31:47 PM PDT by JACKRUSSELL
(BEIJING) - Chinese state television has launched a weeklong series of programs dedicated to defending the country's reputation as a safe maker of global goods, pushing forward its campaign to woo back international trust.
The first program was aired Sunday on China Central Television's economic channel and featured the head of a quality watchdog criticizing the recent furor over the quality of Chinese exports as "demonizing China's products."
"Personally, I believe it is new trend in trade protectionism. Although recalls are necessary, it is unfair to decide that all products made in China are unqualified," Li Changjiang, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said on the inaugural 90-minute show, titled "Believe in Made in China."
Li said his department was doing everything possible to monitor and check product quality, especially after recent recalls of millions of toys by Mattel Inc., the world's biggest toy maker, because of lead paint and small magnets.
"I'm here to tell you: have faith in 'Made in China,'" Li told a group of foreign and Chinese executives and journalists invited to the show.
While the programs can be seen only in China, they will have interviews with Chinese producers and officials, as well as foreign buyers and chambers of commerce, CCTV said on its Web site. Monday's show, called "Back to the Source of Made in China" will focus on exports, including green tea.
The programs are the latest in China's recent push to prove it is a safe manufacturer and exporter of goods amid discoveries of high levels of chemicals and toxins in Chinese products by countries around the world, from toothpaste to fish.
On Monday, New Zealand launched an investigation after children's clothes from China were found to contain dangerous levels of formaldehyde.
The government ordered the probe after scientists testing clothes for TV3's "Target" consumer watchdog program discovered formaldehyde concentrations up to 900 times above the safe level in woolen and cotton clothes.
The chemical gives a permanent press effect to clothes and is also used as an embalming fluid. It can cause problems ranging from skin rashes to cancer.
The television station says it will not release details of brand names or importers ahead of the show's airing on Tuesday.
An AQSIQ official said the agency had to investigate the claim before confirming the details. The China National Garment Association and the China National Textile & Apparel Council said they had not heard of the case and refused to comment.
While China has carried out an increasingly aggressive public relations effort - speedily passing new regulations, issuing a policy paper on food safety, and announcing stepped up crackdowns and punishments - it also has insisted that the problems are isolated and that it is not the only country with quality issues.
China's quality administration said Monday it had returned 272 "unqualified pacemakers" imported from the United States.
The pacemakers, worth $236,000, were exported to Shanghai in April, AQSIQ said on its Web site. The devices had an error of more than 2 percent on their pulse indexes, a number higher than that allowed by Chinese regulations, the agency said without giving more details.
Maybe China could hire “Baghdad Bob” as it’s spokesman.
“Beijing Bob”
Shortly thereafter, Li hung himself for putting lead in toys, following which the Chinese government shot him for poisoning pet food.
Buy American, whenever you can.
I trust the honesty and journalistic integrity of Chinese state TV.
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