By Kirby Chien - Analysis
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has been chastised for selling shoddy and unsafe goods to the world, a criticism that foreign executives say does not reflect the vast majority of goods being produced in the country.
China became the world's third-largest exporter by producing quality products cheaply, with Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the world's largest retailer, buying about $18 billion worth of goods from China a year.
But foreign executives with long experience in the country know that quality in China means putting in place a comprehensive system of checks and monitoring, and taking the responsibility to constantly review those procedures.
"We remain just as committed to this market," Ian Duffy, Asia Pacific president for furniture giant IKEA, told the Reuters China Century Summit.
"We feel as a retailer we are responsible for the quality of goods we offer to our customers," he said. "It is our job."
In terms of purchasing volume, Chinese factories supply about 19 percent of the global product line at IKEA, which has forecast sales of nearly $27 billion this year.
China's manufacturing prowess took a further blow this week when Mattel Inc (MAT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) announced a third product recall, adding to the millions of China-made toys the world's largest toymaker had already recalled due to possible excessive amounts of lead and other potential dangers.
Given China's large market and vast number of quality producers, however, the safety scares are not expected to undermine its status as a global supplier. Continued...
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