A total of 79 percent of products examined met state standards, according to selective examinations conducted by the State Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision in 8,142 factories. Nearly 10,000 products were involved.

More than 86 percent of products made by state-owned enterprises are regarded as meeting the qualifications required, which are higher than for products made by share-holding companies and privately owned companies.

Large-scale enterprises have the best reputation in terms of quality. Nearly 94 percent of large-scale enterprises’ products are up to state standard, said the bureau.

The report says that household electrical appliances have been consistently good over recent years. More than 80 percent of micro-wave ovens, air conditioners, washing machines and electric water heaters passed the recent examinations. In selective tests conducted last year, all stainless steel pressure cookers met state standards.

Light bulbs, ice cream, milk powder for infants, processed meat, baby carriages, electric cookers, preserved fruit, pickles and wheat flour all have a pass rate of lower than 70 percent.

In the nationwide campaign from October to December 2000, law enforcement authorities gave a heavy blow to the production and sale of shoddy products.

Police, industrial and commercial officials and quality and technical supervision officials seized fake products worth more than 3 billion yuan (US$362 million).

In November, the tobacco administration and police departments of southwest China’s Sichuan Province confiscated fake brand cigarettes worth 20 million yuan (US$2.4 million). It was the biggest ever haul in the province.

During the campaign, law enforcement officials in nine provinces and autonomous regions uncovered 14,200 tons of adulterated cotton worth 146 million yuan (US$17.6 million).

The bureau said that it has also taken effective measures to take rice mixed with mineral oil off the market to ensure people’s safety.

(China Daily 01/19/2001)