(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-15 16:03

Vice minister Wei Chuanzhong of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) made an important point which has not received due attention in the recent frenzy over Chinese exports.

While the Chinese side understands the United States' concerns about some problematic Chinese exports, he told the press in Washington, Americans should also know the real reasons for the recalls.

Defective designs provided by American toy importers were responsible for 85 percent of all the recalls, according to Wei, while manufacturers' neglect of standards was liable for the other 15 percent.

Facts like this are essential for consumers to make informed judgments. Withholding such information is unfair not only to American consumers, but also to Chinese manufacturers.

Concealing the truth from American consumers deprives them of an otherwise excellent option when deciding what to buy. The more damaging impact is on innocent Chinese workers who make their living on honest labor. They should not be made to pay for others' mistakes.

Various statistics and surveys, from within and outside China, have confirmed that Chinese exports are among the best in quality. All the recent recalls put together constitute a small fraction of what we sell overseas. No general statement about Chinese commodities can be fair without due regard to such a context. The current hoopla surrounding China-related quality scandals is misleading, because it blinds people from the bigger picture.

A serious interest in heightening public awareness of the true state of commodities made in China should be matched with efforts to more thoroughly share information. There is no harm in letting American consumers know what proportion of Chinese exports to their country is flawed, why recalls are ordered, and best of all, providing them with corresponding information about American imports from other countries, as well as American exports to other markets.

Chinese quality control authorities have turned out to be quick learners through the recent scandals. They are a lot more open about information - sharing and bilateral communication. Their responsiveness to overseas concerns, in particular, is impressive.

What Wei Chuanzhong has expressed is a simple Chinese wish - while we assume due responsibility for our faults, we should not be blamed for what is not our fault. It is only fair.