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Peter A. Quinter
Published: Monday, December 10, 2007 - 23:00 The recent rash of highly publicized recalls and alerts on Chinese-made toothpaste, tires, and toys has shaken confidence in the safety of Chinese imports, with the media calling for consumer boycotts and stricter trade regulations to discourage U.S. businesses from dealing with China. The danger presented by Chinese imports has been highly exaggerated, however—recalled goods are estimated at less than one percent of total U.S. goods imported from China. Contrary to what media reports have led consumers to believe, China is far from being the only country with a questionable product-safety record. On the Food and Drug Administration’s current list of “Import Alerts,” issued to prevent entry of certain products from certain countries, Mexico is currently in the lead with 20 alerts, followed by another next-door neighbor and prime trading partner, Canada, which is tied with China at 16 alerts. Never mind that in the last few months the United States has seen numerous recalls for domestically manufactured products such as pet food, spinach, seafood, and dietary supplements. Earlier this year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled approximately 2.3 million dishwashers, 3.7 million candles, 620,000 pressure washers, and 72,000 air compressors—all made right in the United States. U.S. importers and retailers of Chinese-made products—which are statistically not necessarily more dangerous than those made in other countries—are being unfairly targeted by the media, consumers, and sometimes overzealous customs inspectors. It’s only logical that China, as the United States’ second largest supplier of consumer goods, would be responsible for a growing number of product recalls in the short term. The dynamic of the U.S.-China trade relationship—with consumer goods imports from China nearly tripling in just 10 years and Americans spending more than $280 billion on Chinese-made goods in 2006 alone—is such that a short-term increase in product recalls and import alerts, in and of itself, should be neither surprising nor particularly alarming. Within this climate of less-than-reliable information, fear, and growing anti-China public sentiment, U.S. importers and retailers face the tough task of bringing their Chinese imports to market. That said, there are certain steps they can take to reduce the risk of excessive scrutiny of their Chinese-made goods. These measures are among a number that can be taken to counter the anti-China backlash and reduce the likelihood of future shipping delays or other hassles associated with safety alerts and recalls: Proactive steps like these can truly help U.S. importers and retailers avoid headaches at the port of entry or once their Chinese-made goods are on store shelves. The current discrimination against China is a much larger issue that needs to be addressed. The seeming increase in product recalls from China is more a reflection of the country’s growing economic development rather than a substantial increase in unsafe products. Nevertheless, China continues to be a focus for dissatisfaction over the global problem of substandard product quality. Product safety and quality have next to nothing to do with the country of origin. Efforts would be better spent on raising product safety standards worldwide and strengthening the regulation of all goods that cross U.S. borders, rather than pointing fingers or trying to start a trade war with China. Trade between the U.S. and China is positive and will undoubtedly continue long after the current China-bashing frenzy subsides. Quality Digest does not charge readers for its content. We believe that industry news is important for you to do your job, and Quality Digest supports businesses of all types. However, someone has to pay for this content. And that’s where advertising comes in. Most people consider ads a nuisance, but they do serve a useful function besides allowing media companies to stay afloat. They keep you aware of new products and services relevant to your industry. All ads in Quality Digest apply directly to products and services that most of our readers need. You won’t see automobile or health supplement ads. So please consider turning off your ad blocker for our site. Thanks, Peter Quinter is a customs and international trade attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where he leads a team of highly-experienced attorneys in the firm’s U.S. Customs and International Trade Law Practice, dealing with complex international trade and U.S. Customs regulations and procedures. Chinese Quality Dangers Are Exaggerated
OPINION: Importers and retailers suffer
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Peter A. Quinter
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