Thousands of toy makers laid off

DONGGUAN, Guangdong: Workers at a toy factory in this southern city have become the latest victims of the worldwide financial tsunami.

More than 6,000 employees lost their jobs when Smart Union, a major toy manufacturer in Dongguan, closed earlier this week.

"The main reason for the closure is we are too dependent on the US market, which has become sluggish," Xu Xiaofang, a Smart Union human resource worker, said.