Posted on 09/21/2007 8:00:08 AM PDT by Hydroshock
BEIJING (AP) -- U.S.-based toy giant Mattel issued an extraordinary apology to China on Friday over the recall of Chinese-made toys, taking the blame for design flaws and saying it had recalled more lead-tainted toys than justified.
The gesture by Thomas A. Debrowski, Mattel's executive vice president for worldwide operations, came in a meeting with Chinese product safety chief Li Changjiang, at which Li upbraided the company for maintaining weak safety controls.
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"Our reputation has been damaged lately by these recalls," Debrowski told Li in a meeting at Li's office at which reporters were allowed to be present.
"And Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys," Debrowski said.
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
So Mattel’s design calls for lead in the paint?
If it doesn’t why on earth would they apologize.
Note to self: Never buy from Mattel again.
FOR WHAT?
Again....the bottom line is threatened, so Mattel apologizes to China for China sending cheap dangerous crap.
Oh brother!
God forbid you make your toys in the USA and give jobs to Americans.
Then I apologize for not buying any Mattel toys for my daughters this Christmas. That way I might not have to apologize to them.
Mattel was just doing their part to help their Chinese masters “save face”.
MATTEL : putting your childrens health at risk for communist regimes and enemies of our contry for decades.... Now here, have a babie doll or a hot wheels, and enjoy your lowered IQ.
TRAITORS
Mattel...Is this your attempt at political correctness?
Mattel should have been more vigilant in testing their products.
I agree, Note to self: Don’t buy toys made by Mattel, made in China
It’s a silly thing called “saving face”. It means everything to many Asians. It doesn’t matter if the apology is a bold face lie.
uh, how about apologizing to Americans for Mattel’s stupidity in allowing chinese sweat shops to make toys in the first place?
Blaming China for making cheap, dangerous crap is like blaming a drunk for drinking. Someone who engages in these dealings should know better.
Am I to understand that Mattel’s designs included lead in their products? And how does one recall more lead-tainted products than justified? Shouldn’t they all be recalled? This isn’t your grandpa’s Mattel, that’s for sure. I grew up with Zero-M (One Man Army) fingerprint kit, attache case with hidden barrel, bazooka, Vacu-Form, Creepy Crawlers and Fanner-50 six-shooters and lever action rifles with the stick-on caps and spring-loaded bullets. Cool stuff.
“Mattel should have been more vigilant in testing their products.”
Agreed...not to mention they lost all credibility when they said they had no idea that lead was being used in their toy production in China. That tells me that safety isn’t a big concern for them.
Mattel Go To Hell
The U.S. should apologize to Japan for Pearl Harbor. Same logic.
I used to have to deal with Chi-com lawyers and attorneys from other Asian nationss all the time in my previous job and you're right. They are all about the face-save, and generally have no scruples about telling an obvious lie in order to do so. That sounds racist; I don't intend to be racist but to agree with you that bald-faced lying is an acceptable and honored business practice in many parts of Asia.
Eggs Ackley!
“Debrowski acknowledged that “vast majority of those products that were recalled were the result of a design flaw in Mattel’s design, not through a manufacturing flaw in China’s manufacturers”
I was brought up in the ‘40’s and 50’s. Everything had lead paint on it. Our toys were the real deal. We had tin stoves with metal cooking utinsals, metal doll houses with metal corners, all kind of “killer” toys painted with “killer” paint. I lived in the country where the plants were dusted with DDT. I am still alive and healthy. And, most of the kids I went to school with are healthy as well, not considering aging ailments. So why is America so horrified? Maybe lead can kill you but so can a bus. I am not being hard nosed, I just need some explanation to all the excitement. If we had as much of an outcry against the terrorists, we would have won the war by now.
Perhaps there are no Chinese characters to indicate "Use lead-free paint." ;o)
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