Hillary Attacks China

Friday, November 23, 2007 10:42 PM


Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton Friday slammed China for calling her criticism of made-in-China toys "slander," and urged Washington to take "immediate, decisive steps" to protect US children.


Clinton's statement came a day after China railed against her warning Tuesday of a dangerous tide of Chinese-made gifts, saying that "any slander or exaggeration of facts is irresponsible."


"This is the same government that just this month revoked the licenses of more than 750 of its toy companies because of quality control problems and ordered another 690 to renovate or improve their facilities, even as it asserted that 99 percent of toy exports met quality standards," Clinton said in her statement.


"And the Chinese government's watchdog agency reported earlier this year that 20 percent of the toys made and sold in China pose safety risks. That is unacceptable."


Clinton also took up China's claim that the majority of problems with Chinese toy exports were due to "design faults by (foreign) importers and designers."


The New York Senator said US companies "have to do a better job at every stage of the process ... to make sure that the toys they are bringing into this country -- and profiting from -- do not pose risks to children."


"As the holiday shopping season begins," Clinton said, "our government should be taking immediate, decisive steps to ensure that the toys we are importing from China and other countries are safe."


China is the world's top toy exporter, selling 22 billion toys overseas last year, or 60 percent of the globe's total.


Chinese-made products ranging from seafood to car tires have been targeted in a spate of overseas safety recalls this year, with toys in the spotlight in recent months.


In one high profile case, US toy giant Mattel recalled 18 million toys in August, including Barbie Dolls and Batman action figures, amid concern the toys had been made with toxic lead paints and magnets that posed a choking risk to children.


http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/hill ... ode=3E26-1