China welcomes NZ ruling pyjamas were safe

BEIJING, Aug 30 (Reuters) China on Thursday welcomed the results of a New Zealand investigation into the safety of Chinese-made children's pyjamas, saying it was committed to addressing consumer concerns around the world.

A series of scandals involving Chinese exports ranging from pet food and toothpaste to toys has put increasing pressure on Beijing to clean up its manufacturing sector.

Last week, New Zealand launched an investigation into the safety of imported clothing after a local television programme found woollen and cotton fabrics from China contained levels of formaldehyde up to 900 times the safety limit set by the World Health Organisation.

A separate investigation conducted by the New Zealand government into the safety of Chinese-made pyjamas found no violation of standards. The probe was launched after two boys suffered minor burns when their pyjamas caught fire.

Wang Xinpei, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, said China had closely watched the widely reported accident and welcomed the conclusion of the New Zealand investigation that the pyjamas met safety standards.

''The Chinese government will be responsible for consumers around the world and will never try to shy away from any spotted problems,'' said Wang.

In another scare, New Zealand on Wednesday asked retailers and consumers to dispose of 11 brands of Chinese-made toothpaste after tests confirmed they contained toxic chemicals.

Mattel Inc, the world's largest toymaker, recalled over 18 million Chinese-made toys this month because of risks from small magnets that can injure children if swallowed, just two weeks after it recalled 1.5 million toys due to fears over lead paint.

Coming in the wake of warnings over Chinese-made toothpaste, animal food ingredients, tyres, eels and seafood, and lethal chemicals that found their way into medicine, the toy recall has magnified calls in Washington for much tougher scrutiny of such imports.

REUTERS SV BST1035