press release

Public Affairs Section
United States Embassy, Beijing
Tel: 8531-3000  Fax: 8531-4040
Chinese website: http://embassyusa.cn
English website: http://eng.embassyusa.cn                                            October 26, 2009

 

U.S.-China Consumer Product Safety Summit Joint Statement

Below please find the U.S.-China Consumer Product Safety Summit joint statement that we are forwarding to you as a courtesy.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2009
Press inquiries: Patty Davis, +1 240-393-3893
Email: PDavis@cpsc.gov
http://www.cpsc.gov/

U.S.–China Consumer Product Safety Summit Joint Statement

BEIJING (Oct. 26) – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) held the Third United States–China Consumer Product Safety Summit in China, October 21-26, 2009.  Both organizations reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in ensuring consumer product safety and issued the following joint statement.

I.  Both organizations note that the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation of April 21, 2004 between CPSC and AQSIQ, has set up the framework and established the principles for United States-China cooperation in consumer product safety.  It has played an important role in enhancing bilateral cooperation in consumer product safety and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight for consumer products.

II.  Both organizations believe that within their respective jurisdictions, a systematic improvement of practices in the supply and distribution chain will be the most effective means of enhancing product safety.  
           
AQSIQ recognizes that consumer product manufacturers should work hard to guarantee quality and improve safety.  Through the following policies and practices, AQSIQ has taken the initiative to improve manufacturers’ awareness of product safety and quality requirements:

• AQSIQ affirms the importance of product safety and quality best practices through its supervision over consumer product safety manufacturers, which   incorporates a risk rating system for products.
  

• Based on consumer product safety manufacturers’ level of credibility, their capacity to guarantee quality, and the safety level of their products, the amount of supervision to which they are subject is categorized.
  

• AQSIQ encourages manufacturers to be honest and credible, and to raise their awareness of their accountability for ensuring their products for export are safe.

• AQSIQ has announced and is implementing New Regulation of Inspection and Supervision on Import and Export Toy by emphasizing product design, control of raw material, and product quality control to ensure that toys conform with relevant product safety requirements.

CPSC intends to introduce policies and activities during the coming months to emphasize the need for U.S. importers to be more accountable as members of the supply and distribution chain.  Those policies and activities intended to be included are:

• Addressing accountability for importers with regard to conformity assurance during production in a Final Rule on factors to be considered in assessing civil penalties,
  

• Creation and promotion of a new publication:  Handbook for Importing Safer Consumer Products, and

• Production of a series of webinars for U.S. importers of consumer products, focusing on the steps necessary to ensure adequate and relevant premarket and production testing, including the need to ensure that foreign production facilities are knowledgeable about the federal product safety requirements that apply to the product being made.

Both organizations believe that it is valuable to seek and to consider each other’s comments when creating consumer product safety technical regulations.  Aware of the impact of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 on Chinese suppliers, CPSC and AQSIQ intend to continue consultation on implementation of the Act, believing it essential to ensure that all stakeholders are adequately informed and their views considered.

III.  Both organizations desire to continue collaboration and joint outreach to improve product safety with special emphasis on toys and other children’s products, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), and electrical products, lighters, and fireworks, through the activities of the related working groups.  Such activities are expected to include consultation on emerging hazards, supplier and importer training, and corrective action, and exchanges of technical information.

IV.  With regard to the recent reported problems associated with Chinese drywall in the United States, CPSC and AQSIQ affirm their intention to continue their cooperative scientific and fact-based investigations.  It is CPSC’s and AQSIQ’s intention to determine the cause(es) of the reported problems, with the goal of ensuring that the problems do not recur.

V.  CPSC and AQSIQ note the value in exchanging timely information on emerging product safety issues.  The two organizations intend to explore and implement, if found appropriate, a mechanism to facilitate the exchange of sensitive information in confidence.

VI.  CPSC and AQSIQ intend to hold the Fourth United States-China Consumer Product Safety Summit in the United States during 2011.

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