More China Speak

The Chinese government continues to demonstrate a need for PR skills:

"If it comes down to blame, then it all lies with the U.S. side," the paper said of the Mattel magnet recall, noting that the problem was a design defect. "The Chinese manufacturer only produced according to those specifications."

A China-based company that let lead in the toy paint would be punished, but even here Mattel must share blame, the paper said, noting that the U.S. firm had worked with it for over a decade.

Why punish the China-based company if all the blame lies with the US side?

The paper said foreign media reports about unsafe Chinese food and products were exaggerated and ignored the good record of nearly all the country's exporters.

I think I predicted yesterday a contradiction on the food safety issue would arise within two weeks. It has been one day. See more below.

"If product quality is sub-standard, foreign businesses and joint ventures cannot shirk their blame", it said.

Ultimately, US companies should be responsible for insuring the quality and safety of the goods they source from China. But to suggest that Chinese manufacturers have no responsibility toward the safety of their products is a copout.

"The foreign organization does not understand how difficult it is for us to find and keep skilled workers because of stiff competition," Mark Yi, Hong Kong owner of a toy factory in Guangdong province, told the China Daily referring to the U.S.-based China Labor Watch.

"We have tried every means to improve the living and working environment of workers. My company now offers at least 30 to 50 percent higher salaries than it did three or four years ago, but we simply do not have enough workers during peak seasons."

As Mark speaks, the world's smallest violin plays softly in the background. It is difficult to attract and keep labor when workers can make more money and be treated better some place else. This problem is not unique to China.

More news on the Chinese government's efforts to convince the world it does not have quality problems with its food:

China has sent a notice to the World Health Organisation defending its food safety standards and sentenced another food and drug watchdog official for bribery, its latest moves to assure the world its exports are up to par.

. . . . Except for that whole bribery thing.