China has blacklisted 427 exporters for violating trade rules, apparently in response to recent food and product safety scares over Chinese exports, Reuters reported. Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said that the blacklisted firms had been punished, but did not elaborate. He stressed that China would work with other countries on product safety matters. "China will strengthen international cooperation on the safety of products," he said. American officials currently in Beijing have set out "basic frameworks" for two product safety agreements between the two countries, Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt said separately. On Wednesday, Mattel announced a global recall of 1.5 million Chinese-produced toys that could contain excessive levels of lead in their paint.
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