BEIJING, Aug 2: China insisted on Thursday that more than 99 per cent of its exports were safe as US giant Fisher-Price announced it was recalling nearly one million Chinese-made toys over fears they might be toxic.

Commerce Minister Bo Xilai's reassurance was made public as concern seemed to be growing in Beijing over the potential fall-out from a slew of cases involving shoddily made and dangerous products from China. “More than 99 per cent of the products China exports are of good quality and are safe,” Bo said in a statement posted on his ministry's website.

“We hope that the relevant sides will handle Chinese products in an objective, fair and rational manner. This should not impact the normal development of trade.” He added that “China attaches great importance to the quality and safety of its products.” The comments were posted after Fisher-Price on Wednesday said it was recalling 967,000 toys, including popular Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer-branded toys sold in US stores between May and August this year.

“Paint on some of these products could contain lead in excess of permissible levels,” the company said in a statement.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that “consumers should immediately take the recalled toys away from children and contact Fisher-Price.” The recall covered around 80 types of toys, including playsets, toy vehicles, figures and musical instruments, many connected to the Nickelodeon children's TV network.

The company also cautioned that some of its potentially dangerous toys might be on sale elsewhere around the world.

“Mattel is working with retailers worldwide to identify affected products, have them removed from retail shelves and intercept incoming shipments and stop them from being sold,” the company statement said.—AFP