Others News
- Mattel's apology over recall welcomed
Date: 27-Sep-2007 Sources: (Shenzhen Daily)
CHINA'S domestic media welcomed U.S. toymaker Mattel's apology over its recalls of Chinese-made toys, saying that although overdue it should help restore the country's sullied export reputation.
Mattel apologized in Beijing on Friday for recalling 21 million toys this summer, the majority of which had small magnets that could fall out and be harmful to children if swallowed.
Mattel admitted the problem was a design flaw - not the fault of Chinese manufacturers.
However, the recalls also included hundreds of thousands of toys found to be decorated with hazardous lead-tainted paint. Mattel said the company pulled more of those toys off shelves than necessary and made Chinese manufacturers look bad.
Mattel Inc. (MAT), the world's largest toymaker, said it understood and appreciated the 'issues that this has caused for the reputation of Chinese manufacturers.'
'The apology, though delayed, should help dispel the suspicion American customers harbor against Chinese-made products and clean up the stain the recalls left on the innocent Chinese workers who make a living doing honest labor,'the official English-language China Daily newspaper reported.
The State-run Guangzhou Daily said in an editorial Monday that Mattel's apology was a little late 'but at least it redressed injustice against toys made in China.'
But the paper added: 'It is still too early to say we are happy.'
Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, made the apology Friday during talks with Li Changjiang, who heads one of China's major product safety watchdogs.
The International Herald Leader, a subsidiary publication of Xinhua News Agency, said in an editorial that the 'American media should also apologize?for the way it handled the Mattel recalls.
The Chinese Government said that the vast majority of its exports are safe but has stepped up inspections of food, drugs and other products in response to the concerns.
Sponsor Results:
