Kids the future

Baby boom boosts kids' clothes

Annual per household spending on children's products in urban China increased to $663 in 2009 and is expected to reach $1,256 by 2013.

Baby boom drives up infant formula prices

A baby boom in the current Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac has led to an increase in the price of imported infant formula.

The Children of the Dragon

The baby boom has brought a noticeable sales increase, and the size of China's market for children's products is expected to reach $49 billion by 2013.

Children products market scales up

Li Ning races in children's wear market

The race to control China's children's wear market has escalated, with Chinese sportswear company Li Ning rejoining the battle.

Big need for mother-and-baby nurses

The Year of the Dragon is expected to lead to a baby boom because of the belief that children born in it will be endowed with good luck and have a propitious life.

Online store focuses on baby products

Customers will be able to order diapers and baby formula on their mobile phones via a "virtual store" of China's online grocery giant Yihaodian.

Loopholes in children-related industry

Toxic metals common in kids' goods: Greenpeace

Nearly 10 percent of children's products sold in Chinese markets contain excessive lead, a harmful heavy metal, posing a threat to their health.

Whistleblower reveals milk makers' misdeeds

A number of cow breeders in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region were illegally adding chlorine dioxide into milk to preserve it for a longer period.

Reports question quality of kids' clothing

Quality watchdogs have released a series of reports on problems with children's clothing, including products from some big brand names.

Governmental efforts to streamline the market

Ministries ban chemical from babies' bottles over health risk

Six ministries announced that they have banned the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the production of babies' bottles in an attempt to protect the health of infants.

New safety rules for school buses take effect

China's long-awaited regulations on school bus safety finally came into force, including an extensive list of measures aimed at reducing the risk of tragedy.

Food safety campaign cuts dairy numbers

China's top quality watchdog has waged the "tough battle" to clean up the food sector saw the closure of more than 40 percent of the mainland's dairies.

Opinion

Children's medication needs improvement

There are a few kinds of medication specific to children in China and and cases of excessive use are prominent clinical problems.

More baby care rooms

More baby care facilities should be set up as most public places have no maternal and infant rooms except for stations and some shopping malls.

Let's make children's toys safe

The government should tighten regulations on safety of plastic toys to prevent children from being exposed to phthalates and other dangerous chemicals.