China knew about problems with magnets on toys as long ago as March, an industry official said yesterday, following a second massive recall of Chinese-made Mattel toys due to hazards from small, powerful magnets.
China has been struggling to convince the world its products are safe after a series of scandals ranging from tainted pet food and drugs to tires, toys and toothpaste.
Mattel Inc, the largest US toy company, recalled millions more Chinese-made toys on Tuesday because of safety risks from the magnets and lead paint and warned it might recall additional products as it steps up testing.
PHOTO: AFP
"We knew about the situation, because since March some toys had been recalled due to magnetic parts problems," said an official with the China Toy Association, who declined to be identified.
She did not explain why it had taken so long for something to be done.
The China Toy Association would meet the Commerce Ministry and quality watchdog later in the day to discuss the recall, the official said.
Mattel's global recall involved 436,000 die cast Sarge cars related to the character from the movie Cars because they contained lead paint.
It also extended last November's recall of toys that contain magnets that can be swallowed by children; they included Polly Pocket dolls and Batman action figures. That recall now encompasses 18.2 million magnetic toys worldwide.
In Asia, Mattel said it has started issuing press releases and notices to retailers on the recall. It said the recall in Asia makes up less than 2 percent of the global recall.
"Mattel does not put a price tag on safety. While this recall will most certainly have some financial impact, the company is at the same time, focusing all their efforts on communicating with their customers and rectifying the situation," Mattel Southeast Asia Pt Ltd said in an e-mailed response to questions.
Mattel said the Sarge cars were manufactured by Early Light Industrial Co (旭日實業), a Hong Kong-registered company that makes its toys in China. Early Light subcontracted the painting of the Sarge cars to another company.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council, a semi-government body that markets the territory's businesses to the world, said it was concerned by the recall.
"We are quite surprised as Hong Kong toy manufacturers are renowned for our quality and safety. We understand that the industry is looking into its supply chain," said Lawrence Yau (
The recall will likely only add to US consumer worries about the made-in-China label. A poll last week of Americans showed that nearly two-thirds said they would support a boycott of Chinese goods.
"There is a very kind of widespread sense in America now that there may be something defective with a number of Chinese prod-ucts," said James Fallows, a US foreign policy lecturer at Shanghai's Fudan University.
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Light Industrial Products and Arts and Crafts, another group which represents toy makers, said it was asking members to publicly sign a pledge to improve quality.
"We feel deep pain at the irresponsible behavior of some companies," it said in the pledge letter.
"We cannot let the actions of a small minority of firms hold back the pace of the march forward of the whole industry and must use this lesson as an opportunity to raise management standards for everyone," it said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source