by Rod Hughes
Mainland China will be holding a trade fair next week at Hotel Herradura to interest local retailers in buying products from that country but, from the Chinese point of view, timing could not have been worse.
Last week, the Ministry of Economy ordered retailers to withdraw Fisher Price and Mattel toys made in China because of potentially toxic paint, reported the daily paper La Nacion. Worse, yesterday Mattel announced the voluntary recall of toys because of paint content and because small magnets in some toys could break loose and be swallowed by children. This is a special blow to the Fisher Price trademark known for its carefully engineered and researched toys.
The toy recall also serves to remind the buying public of the frantic local search by Health Ministry officials for two brands of toothpaste exported from China and placed on sale here. The toothpaste was found to be laced with a toxic chemical used in the making of antifreeze, although no illness or deaths were reported in this country.
Today, La Nacion reported that the director of the toy manufacturing firm had committed suicide during the weekend, Two months ago, the government official responsible for authorizing export of the toothpaste was executed by the Chinese government following his conviction for accepting bribes from exporters.
China is a major export market for Costa Rica, which also imports many products, a factor that led the Arias Administration to establish relations with the mainland Asian nation in June and automarically sever long-standing diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
Some 30 Chinese companies will have booths at the Aug. 22-30 fair, reported the English-language weekly The Tico Times. Exhibiters will range from an automobile manufacturer to a maker of artificial Christmas trees.