Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – China accuses the United States of protectionism but launches a campaign against harmful products as US Consumer Product Safety Commission issues a recall for 250,000 SpongeBob SquarePants address books and journals containing excessive amounts of lead.

Beijing has not challenged findings that some of its products are unsafe but Assistant Trade Minister Wang Chao complained that, “recently, the US side has taken a series of measures that betray a strong trade protectionist sentiment.” Furthermore, “the US side has not accommodated some of China's requests for consultations.”

Following revelations that several Chinese-made products were harmful, Beijing asked Washington to work together on joint control procedures. In early August delegations from the two countries met in Beijing but an agreement will take months. In the meantime other safety- and quality-related issues involving products made in China have been raised. US companies and agencies have responded by withdrawing the products in question because of their potentially harmful effects.

For Beijing this behaviour amounts to US protectionism and is closely related to other issues that are dividing the two countries. First, the US has launched several anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into mainland exports and brought the matter before the World Trade Organisation. Second, the US has been demanding China change the yuan-dollar exchange rate, which it considers too low and in China’s favour.

For China’s Assistant Trade Minister Gao Hucheng, such actions run against global trends and violate WTO rules.  In his opinion Washington could reduce the trade deficit (US$ 73 billion in the first half of this year alone) by increasing exports instead of introducing stricter rules on access to dual-use (civilian and military) technology, including new end-use controls on goods like lasers, telecommunications equipment and navigation systems, that might be used by China’s People's Liberation Army.

For his part Chinese Deputy Premier Wu Yi announced a four-month "war" on tainted food, drugs and exports in order to re-establish confidence in Made-In-China products. The campaign will target pig slaughtering, restaurants and canteens, pesticide use, food additives and the country's vital exports.

“In China, this campaigning method still has a role to play in addressing relatively simple problems, because when grassroots officials see the premier or vice premier taking up an issue, focusing on it, they know they also have to sit up and pay attention,” said Mao Shoulong, an expert on public policy at the People's University of China.

"The execution of Zheng Xiaoyu was also part of that campaigning approach to get officials' attention," said Mao, referring to the former head of the national food and drug safety watchdog, who was executed in July for taking bribes.

Every day national media report on harmful products. In the latest health scare, the Shanghai Daily reported on Friday that city officials had seized more than a tonne of kelp soaked in a toxic chemical to keep it looking fresh. They also found fake wine and vinegar.