China blames differing standards for safety scares

BEIJING, Aug 27 (Reuters) China today blamed differing national standards, misleading statistics and lack of communication for some of the product safety scares that have alarmed foreign consumers, promising to punish manufacturers who flout rules.

Li Changjiang, head of the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, told a news conference that businesses that sold sub-standard goods would be punished.

But he laid the blame for some recent product safety scares at the foot of foreign agencies and businesses.

''For some products, the two countries enforce different standards,'' he said of China and the United States, also citing ''inaccurate statistics''.

China is facing growing global pressure to clean up its manufacturing sector and ensure the quality of its exports after a series of scandals involving products ranging from poisonous pet food ingredients to sub-standard toys and tainted toothpaste.

The world's largest toymaker, Mattel, recalled more than 18 million Chinese-made toys in mid-August 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.

Li said the toy recall was due not to Chinese quality failings but to poor design and monitoring by the company, which he suggested should also assume culpability.

''I believe that there are certainly serious problems in the design, and no matter what the country these toys would be recalled,'' he said.

Li has described the storm surrounding Chinese-made goods as politically motivated and unfair, but he has also called for tougher regulation of manufacturers and warned that failure to improve quality was undermining China's trade strength.

REUTERS RN BD0955