working with Chinese

[We are working with Chinese regulators on] specific cooperative actions . . . to improve the safety of consumer products: training; technical assistance; a mechanism to provide for “urgent consultation” when necessary; information exchanges; and the creation of Working Groups to address issues in four priority areas [including toys].

The second prong of our plan to address Chinese imports is to work with the private sector including Chinese manufacturers. One of the commission’s first initiatives in responding to the growth in imports was to establish the Office of International Programs and Intergovernmental Affairs to support a comprehensive effort to ensure that imported consumer products complied with recognized American safety standards. . . .

A major emphasis of this program is working with foreign manufacturers to establish product safety systems as an integral part of their manufacturing process. We have found that many overseas manufacturers, particularly those from the developing world, are either ignorant of existing voluntary and mandatory standards or simply choose not to design and manufacture their products to those standards. The CPSC has also conducted industry-specific safety seminars and retail and vendor training seminars in China. . . .

The third prong of our plan of action for Chinese imports is increased surveillance and enforcement activities. . . . CPSC obviously attempts to keep dangerous products from entering into the country in the first instance. However, in the event a defective product does enter the stream of commerce, CPSC has been taking stronger measures to effectively remove such products from the marketplace. . . .

CPSC staff is also working with various domestic and international associations and standards groups to assure that a strong message is being delivered to Chinese manufacturers and exporters. . . .

The fourth prong of our plan of action for Chinese imports is the modernization of our governing statutes to better allow us to address the large influx of imports. . . . For example, . . . [we propose to make] it unlawful to sell a recalled product in commerce. Consumers Union