US-China to Sign Quick Recall Pact

(Akron/Tire Review) NHTSA and the Chinese government will sign an agreement Sept. 12 that will help speed the recall of defective auto parts. The “memorandum of cooperation” gives NHTSA a tool to speed recalls of Chinese-made goods. If the agreement had been in place this summer when concerns arose about the tires, “we would have felt much more comfortable reaching out to the Chinese government and asking for their assistance,” said Nicole Nason, NHTSA administrator.

“It would have been helpful to have the Chinese government contact the Chinese manufacturer to get the situtation quickly resolved,” she said. “By quickly sharing information, this is going to help us expedite recalls.” NHTSA said the recall was delayed because of a holdup in getting information from China. The Chinese manufacturer refused to hand over data that would have helped U.S. regulators pinpoint any issues with the tires more quickly.

The agreement, which follows meetings in Beijing and Geneva last fall, comes amid growing concern in the United States about the safety of Chinese made-made goods. In recent months, there have been recalls of millions of Chinese-made toys, pet food, toothpaste and seafood.