International Pressure for Quality Continues

A number of the quotes from top leaders on quality issues facing China have been less than encouraging. It appears from Kuneva's statements below she is still encountering some resistence.

EU product safety chief Meglena Kuneva said on Wednesday that she is willing to block China's access to European markets if the country doesn't improve its manufacturing standards, the Wall Street Journal reported. After visiting a toy-testing center and a doll factory in eastern Jiangsu province, the EU consumer commissioner noted that the Chinese regulators have shown a willingness to work at fixing the safety problems that have aroused worldwide concern. But she said she was also open to playing tough by banning a wider array of goods than those specifically recalled. According to the EU's rapid alert system, half of all unsafe goods recalled in 2006 were found to have originated in China.