BEIJING, Aug. 13, 2007

China Says Toy Company Boss Killed Himself

Factory Made Nearly A Million Toys Recalled In U.S. Due To Lead Paint

  • Some of the Fisher- Price toys subject to recall, including Photo

    Some of the Fisher- Price toys subject to recall, including "Go Diego Go Mountain Rescue," and "Birthday Dora," right, are seen on a store shelf Monday, Aug. 1, 2007, in Alexandria, Va.  (AP)

  • News Tools Toy Recall

    A complete list of toys recalled by Fisher-Price

  • Timeline Popular Playthings

    Take a trip back in time with this look at some of toymaking's greatest debuts.

(AP)  The head of a Chinese toy manufacturing company at the center of a huge U.S. recall has committed suicide, a state-run newspaper said Monday.

Zhang Shuhong, who ran the Lee Der Industrial Co. Ltd, killed himself at a warehouse over the weekend, days after China said it had temporarily banned exports by the company, the Southern Metropolis Daily said.

Lee Der made 967,000 toys recalled earlier this month by Mattel Inc. because they were made with paint found to have excessive amounts of lead. The plastic preschool toys, sold under the Fisher-Price brand in the U.S., included the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters.

An official who answered the telephone at Lee Der on Monday said he had not heard of the news.

The suicide comes less than a week after Mattel's announcement identifying Lee Der Industrial, in Guangdong province, as the manufacturer of the toys, which were sold under the Fisher-Price brand in the United States between May and August.

Mattel, the world's largest toy maker, at that time apologized to customers for the recall and said the move would cut pretax operating income by $30 million.

Mattel spokeswoman Jules Andres said on August 7th that all the toys that were recalled were made by the one vendor and that the company has "ceased accepting shipments from the facility."

She added that Mattel has shared the name of the vendor with competitors who may also be doing business with the Chinese company.

The Mattel spokeswoman said she did not know what other toys might have been made at the facility for other companies, but stressed that Mattel felt it was important for its competitors to have the information.

"We do not consider safety to be a competitive advantage," she said.

The Chinese vendor could not immediately be reached for comment. A man at a Lee Der Industrial Company in Guangdong province said it made cardboard boxes, not toys, while a woman who answered the phone at another number listed under the name said that company had gone bankrupt several years ago.

The Fisher-Price recall is the latest in a string of problems involving products imported from China.

In June, RC2 Corp. recalled 1.5 million wooden railroad toys and set parts from its Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway product line because of lead paint. Those toys were also made in China.

Earlier this year, a Chinese-made pet food ingredient was linked to the deaths of cats and dogs in North America. Since then, Chinese goods ranging from toothpaste to tires have been banned or recalled in numerous countries.

© MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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by nskduke August 13, 2007 1:43 AM PDT
Hahaha. Oh well.
Reply to this comment
by sgtrds August 13, 2007 1:54 AM PDT
Now if we could just get Bush to do the same for his scre*w up in Iraq!
Reply to this comment
by brianbwb-2009 August 13, 2007 2:12 AM PDT
Ya gotta give it to them, at least some of them still have a sense of honor and responsibility, traits sorely lacking in America.
Reply to this comment
by dannyttown August 13, 2007 2:30 AM PDT
Chinese products are proving to be inferior. We need to ban all Chinese products and use American made producs instead. Plus, who can forgive the Chinese government incorrectly putting death warrants on ALL dogs earlier in the year, because ONE person developed rabies. The media reported that animals were taken out of the arms of citizens in the street and clubbed to death right there on the spot. The media also reported that men solicited by the government were coaxing dogs out of hiding and then clubbing them to death. How primitive is that??! I haven't wittingly bought Chinese products since. I have TOTALLY lost respect for China and will not buy their products again.
Reply to this comment
by usayesterday August 13, 2007 2:42 AM PDT
HEADLINES I WOULD LOVE TO SEE...


- Head of Halliburton commits suicide, says he's sorry for defrauding American taxpayers and supporting Iraq war.

- Several Pharmaceutical company execs suffer fatal heart attacks caused by side effects from their own drugs

And, oh so many more I'd love to see, but not enough room to list them all!
Reply to this comment
by cantshutup August 13, 2007 2:45 AM PDT
dam*! i wish a certain entire executive cabinet was chinese !
Reply to this comment
by missut2 August 13, 2007 2:45 AM PDT
....at least some of them still have a sense of honor and responsibility, traits sorely lacking in America.
Posted by brianbwb at 02:12 AM : Aug 13, 2007

________________________

Persons that committ suicide are COWARDS....not heroes,or persons of honor...they are too cowardly to FACE their responsibilities...they leave that for someone else to do!
It's a shame that Zhang Shuhong chose to committ suicide, which is murder. My sympathies to his family and colleagues...those he left with unanswered questions...those he left to grieve because of his selfishness.
Reply to this comment
by nothappyatall August 13, 2007 3:18 AM PDT
"Zhang Shuhong, who ran the Lee Der Industrial Co. Ltd, killed himself "

Hmm... or maybe, the more likely scenario is he had a little 'HELP' know what I mean?
Reply to this comment
by njr148 August 13, 2007 3:23 AM PDT
Why would Bush allow such a thing to happen!! Toys from China? Why don't we make our own? Made in the USA is a better! Lets do it on our own soil.
Hey lefties, let me get this straight...this is Bush's fault too, right. I'd love to be a lefty, but I don't understand their "logic" yet.
Reply to this comment
by njr148 August 13, 2007 3:23 AM PDT
Why would Bush allow such a thing to happen!! Toys from China? Why don't we make our own? Made in the USA is a better! Lets do it on our own soil.
Hey lefties, let me get this straight...this is Bush's fault too, right. I'd love to be a lefty, but I don't understand their "logic" yet.
Reply to this comment
by njr148 August 13, 2007 3:26 AM PDT
Yes, he likely received some help......or he knew what was coming so he took his life. A puppet for the Chinese and then he got in the way.
Reply to this comment
by luvcomments August 13, 2007 3:31 AM PDT
MissUT2

You don't know much about Chinese culture, do you?

Our Western society considers suicide a cowardly act. That is not the case in many other cultures; in fact, it is considered an honorable obligation to do so when one has managed a grand screw-up. You are judging other cultures in the same way that we mis-managed Iraq - arrogantly not bothering to learn about the customs of the people we're dealing with - which fact has only recently been brought to the forefront. On a purely personal note, if Zhang deliberately manufactured potentially hazardous toys for our children, whether he committed suicide or would have been executed by the Chinese government makes no difference to me.
Reply to this comment
by missut2 August 13, 2007 4:04 AM PDT
MissUT2

You don't know much about Chinese culture, do you?

Our Western society considers suicide a cowardly act. That is not the case in many other cultures; in fact, it is considered an honorable obligation to do so when one has managed a grand screw-up.
Posted by luvcomments at 03:31 AM : Aug 13, 2007
_________________________________

You are correct...I don't know much about
Chinese cultures. I still have the same feelings I wrote about...suicide is cowardly and wrong.
I guess the Chinese are still lacking in human rights issues. Thanks for letting me know!
Reply to this comment
by coffeehead-2009 August 13, 2007 7:01 AM PDT
Why would Bush allow such a thing to happen!!
Hey lefties, let me get this straight...this is Bush's fault too, right. I'd love to be a lefty, but I don't understand their "logic" yet.
Posted by njr148

xxxxx

The whole rotten bunch are LIARS....
Here comes the N.A.U. whether you like it or not via THIS administration.... How about our government HELPING send illegals money out of our country?
http://www.immigrationwatchdog.com/?p=4402

How about that meeting to finalize it this week?
On August 20-21, President Bush will join Mexican PresidentCalderon and Canadian Prime Minister Harper for the second Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) summit.
http://www.grassfire.org/89/petition.asp?RID=13638874

And why are we expected to pour our tax money into roads and bridges so foreigners can buy them and charge us to use our own roads?
http://www.alternet.org/story/57254/?page=2

And - according to the "world bank" -
Mexico is doing REAL well economically and with their job prospects - so why the theft of $$$ in EVERY form from the U.S. taxpayers that are SLIPPING into poverty?
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=21623
Reply to this comment
by sharncedar August 13, 2007 7:10 AM PDT
Bush says learn from the Chinese, so let's do it. Let's help the Fortune 500 CEO's to learn from this example, there is a great lesson there, though I suspect we shall have to be rather active teachers in this one.
Reply to this comment
by advanceus August 13, 2007 7:34 AM PDT
I wonder how many years we have been poisened by the country of China?
Reply to this comment
by truthspeake2 August 13, 2007 7:39 AM PDT
Understanding....Logic??? That's somewhat of an oxymoron for you Republicants isn't it???
Reply to this comment
by scarletphd August 13, 2007 7:47 AM PDT
Such weak characters, such liars and cheats...they couldn't care LESS about human beings, only making a buck, their "world standing" and oppressing their people. Cover up SARS, now this. Sub-human FILTH!
Reply to this comment
by cbs_oliver August 13, 2007 7:50 AM PDT
The story leaves me thinking and wondering about a few things.

What a disaster for the fabrication plant and the people who work there!

Is the identity of the fabrication plant some kind of confidential information? Such things should be completely public and well known - for safety sake.

Why is it difficult to contact this company? That is also troubling.

What is going on with the paint used in toy manufacturing. Is the specification given by the toy designer lax or given by the fab lax or is the paint maker QC no good or is there fraud somewhere?

These stories could use much more info.

What happens to the workers now?
Reply to this comment
by ecm1980 August 13, 2007 8:34 AM PDT
It is unfortunate that the head of the toy company killed himself. So many questions will be left unanswered. Also...I am sure he has left many loved ones behind who miss him, as is usually the case in a suicide.

I myself had two of the lead painted toys in my home and got rid of them. Luckily my daughter doesn't really put them in her mouth, or even play with me that much yet...she is more interested in her brothers toys.

I hope all parenst who had these toys have taken the appropriate action of repplacing or getting rid of these toys so their children will be protected.
Reply to this comment
by trenticus-2009 August 13, 2007 9:04 AM PDT
I guess he figured he'd rather kill himself rather than the Chinese Gov doing him in. BUY AMERICAN, MADE IN AMERICA. Kind of hard to find all the things youwant I know but give it a shot. So what we might have to sit on the floor to eat from paper plates...
Reply to this comment
by barbaraf4 August 13, 2007 9:36 AM PDT
All CEOs who disgrace their companies and investors should commit ritual suicide. It is so much expedient than long, drawn out investigations.

This would include presidents and heads of state.
Reply to this comment
by nolalou August 13, 2007 9:53 AM PDT
It's too bad the head of the Chinese toy company took his life. He instead should have dedicated his company to cleaning up it's act, and stop using lead paint.

It easy to say just stop importing all Chinese products, a country we owe almost 1 trillion dollars to! Unfortunately, many products we buy simply are not made in the USA, especially household electronics.(HDTVs, Cell Phones, etc). Most of those come from China, Japan, or Korea. If they did start to ban imports from China, and start making those products here, expect prices to go way up! The problem is the American consumer is addicted to low cost Chinese products, which is why stores like Wal-Mart are so popular.
Reply to this comment
by bareemperor August 13, 2007 10:03 AM PDT
I don't believe this story for a second...
Reply to this comment
by cbs_oliver August 13, 2007 10:04 AM PDT
This was certainly a management issue. Mattel's management may have some culpability.

The workers who assembled and decorated the toys are certainly not at fault. Yet they are being punished without regard.

I am unimpressed by the behavior of Mattel.

I guess we will not see Mattel close their executive offices because of this.

No Mattel Execs will commit ritual suicide either.

The question still remains whether any Mattel Execs will even be fired.
Reply to this comment
by arealtexan August 13, 2007 10:13 AM PDT
Our addiction to Wal-Mart is now costing lives, not just jobs. Yes, if we start making things in the good ol USA again the prices will go up, but more people will be working, wages will increase, and we can afford those things. Our Wally World driven economy is shaky at best.

This hapless Chinese man was probably met in some Bejing alley by Karl Rove wearing a trenchcoat saying, "Hey buddy, want to buy some paint?" in his best Charlie Chan accent. If you can't trust Karl Rove in a trenchcoat, who can you trust?
Reply to this comment
by ug_boy August 13, 2007 10:16 AM PDT
Autopsy report found the suicide was by 12 pistol rounds from various entry points....

I am sure the Chinese government had nothing to do with this and were also totally unaware of the child slaves in the brick factories also....
Reply to this comment
by mcvet August 13, 2007 10:28 AM PDT
Wouldn't it be great if American CEO's would do this? hehehe. It's time to bring REAL Free Enterprise back to America and trash these "American" Corporations. If we make it possible American's can and will produce these products again right her in the good old USA. Sieg Heil Bush!!
Reply to this comment
by cbs_oliver August 13, 2007 10:45 AM PDT
"Autopsy report found the suicide was by 12 pistol rounds from various entry points....

I am sure the Chinese government had nothing to do with this and were also totally unaware of the child slaves in the brick factories also....
Posted by ug_boy at 10:16 AM : Aug 13, 2007"

Bad sarcasm or deceit?

Anyway:

No such autopsy report.

It is the Chinese government that is shutting down the brick factory slave trade.
Reply to this comment
by lostcountry1 August 13, 2007 10:50 AM PDT
what if we put all of the illegals, we should be rounding up, to work in factories,making these things we need.we could use the factories that we take from the owners as punishment for hiring illegals,and use them. they could work there to pay off the cost or rounding them up, as well as making them pay a fine of say, $3000.00 for breaking the law ,and being here illegally.we could produce goods here for no wages to lawbreakers and have cheap goods to sell. undermine the offshore attitude that corporate scum has by taking advantage of an already available [although illegal] workforce. i mean they just come here to work, right?
Reply to this comment
by lorinkundert August 13, 2007 10:54 AM PDT
A good example of what outsourcing does, dangerous goods are produced away from the watchful eye of big brother.
Reply to this comment
by lostcountry1 August 13, 2007 10:56 AM PDT
cbs oliver, didnt you hear how the chinese govt. executed the last guy that got them bad publicity? this is their way of saving face for their crimes against humanity. they're COMMUNISTS.remember those people that soo many americans have died fighting around the globe? what did the autopsy report show? some of us dont beleive everything that we read.
Reply to this comment
by lorinkundert August 13, 2007 10:58 AM PDT
"We do not consider safety to be a competitive advantage," she said.

Any US company dealing with an offshore company who has that attitude should be just as liable and suffer the same punishment.
Reply to this comment
by ezillyamused August 13, 2007 11:24 AM PDT
How convenient! With the backlash of the food inspector being executed over tainted pet food, this guy just HAPPENS to kill HIMSELF?!? Yeah, right and Rove just "wants to spend time with the family now"!
Reply to this comment
by johnshaft4 August 13, 2007 12:05 PM PDT
We can only hope that Bush/Cheney follows this fine example of leadership...
Reply to this comment
by dontbasucka August 13, 2007 12:07 PM PDT
Yeah I believe there was only "one" guy involved with duping the Mattel Corporation and now that he's dead everything is fixed.

F#&K these imbeciles that run the Chinese slave market and same to companies like Mattel that screw America by going overseas to build factories or just using foreign factories. You hurt the USA economy either way. You're morons for using an enemies help.

It's like Coke paying to use Pepsi's factories and distribution. Do you think maybe there is some competition that may deter them from doing what you paid them to do???????????????????????

You morons. What next? Col. Sanders secret recipe to be guarded by the North Koreans, (you remember the N Korenas that had their people eating grass because they used most all their budget on the military?) Also lets have the North Koreans inspect our nuclear weapons to be sure they are in good working order.

Way to go greedy companies you got what you deserve.



Reply to this comment
by cbs_oliver August 13, 2007 12:29 PM PDT
I am unsure what options the toy fabrication company boss had in Chinese culture given the posture assumed by Mattel's management and Mattel's actions against the company.

I think it would be worthwhile to review Mattel's actions to see how they allowed this to happen.

Reply to this comment
by jester188 August 13, 2007 12:36 PM PDT
you want to buy american ... you will pay a lot more... that is the biggest problem with most of the comments on here... everyone wants to buy american made products... but you pay so much more for some lazy union worker to do a half a$$ed job...

Japan.... takes 19 hours to build a car...
United States... takes 19 hours to fix all the errors on the already built car...

Reply to this comment
by rafterman1 August 13, 2007 12:41 PM PDT
Yeah, Zhang Shuhong committed "suicide" when a government official put a gun to his head and fired :)
Reply to this comment
by dzfromsc August 13, 2007 12:41 PM PDT
1. It seems many of you know nothing about China. He could have killed himself to save the honor of his family which is custom in China. Or, he could have beed offed. Either way, he is dead. BUT he is probably not the only one with answers...someone else knows about this.

2. You can't blame every corporation when everyone wants everything so cheap. You complain about having to pay $20 for a shirt so it gets outsourced and you pay $5. BUY AMERICAN or stop complaining. All you people shopping at WalMart only feed the plague. WalMart imports more products from China than any other retailer AND they treat thier employees and venders like dirt not to mention the terrible customer service. Just google "WalMart" and "class action" and see how many law suits there are against WalMart, some of them very legitimate. Matel lost alot of money doing what they did but they did it to keep customers in the future. You should be mad at the low standards China has and the complete disrespect for our laws. They don't care if there is lead in the paint on our toys. So what if American children die? They want that! They ARE STILL COMMUNIST!

3. If you can't buy American, at least buy Japanese. The Chinese hate the Japanese and the Japanese can't take over our money at this point in time.

4. This is not about Republican or Democrat...get off that soapbox.

Some of you have researched, some of you haven't, many of you need to.
Reply to this comment
by jester188 August 13, 2007 12:52 PM PDT
DZfromSC..

that is probably the first educated comment I have heard on this topic... way to go
Reply to this comment
by dzfromsc August 13, 2007 1:01 PM PDT
Thank you jester188.
I was a political science major at Winthrop University and I spent my final semester studying South East Asia including China. That was of course before many of these scandals came to light. My professor, Dr. M. Wilson, spent alot of time in China and was very insightful about thier culture.
I've had relatives who worked at WalMart AND who were venders and I know they all got treated badly.
And I'm so sick of the Republican/Democrat fight. So many people don't even affiliate with a party now. They register independent and do a split ticket.
Reply to this comment
by ivandrago August 13, 2007 1:09 PM PDT
I'd give this suicide a 50-50 chance of being legit.
Reply to this comment
by usayesterday August 13, 2007 1:11 PM PDT
DZfromSC:

Unfortunately, I strongly disagree with most of your comments, except for the encouragement to "buy American."

Congratulations on your Poli-Sci degree. However, some business and economics graduates may agree with this:

You can't blame the pursuit of cheaper products on the people who shop a discount retailers like WalMart. It is somewhat of a 'chicken-and-egg' situation. What came first; people's pursuit of cheaper products causing lower wages, OR, lower wages causing people to shop for cheaper products?

Some business executive somewhere first decided to outsource his labor and/or his manufacturing to China or some Asian country. Company 'B' found that Company 'A' was making significantly higher profits because of the outsourced labor/manufacturing. Thus, Company 'B', in order to compete, had to either follow what Company 'A' was doing or lower the wages on their workers here in America. And thus begun the avalanche of lower wages and in most cases, a lower standard of living for the American Middle Class workers!

Our economic system of free-market capitalism allows for the greed that causes this ever decreasing standards, both for jobs and quality of products produced...

...all for the almighty dollar!
Reply to this comment
by usayesterday August 13, 2007 1:22 PM PDT
...to continue...

The root of the lower wages/lower standard of living is not solely caused by people shopping at Walmart, and it is NOT caused solely by Walmart alone.

Look at your home theater/home computer type of electronics. You may have bought them at Best Buy, Circuit City, or some other big-box retailer, but I guarantee that they are not made in America.

Oh, and buying Japanese is somewhat laughable since many Japanese companies have outsourced their manufacturing to China and other Asian countries as well, (specifically the Japanese electronics companies).

Manufacturing in Japan is also very expensive as it is in America. And again, if the competitor companies are manufacturing in China, then you either have to follow suit, or find another line of business.

As for buying "American", patriotism is nice, but if the similar products don't have a clearly higher level of quality than an import...

...then there is no incentive to buy American! Try telling a family man, making around $40,000 a year, to pay twice as much for clothing for his children... for what?..... To hopefully allow a few workers in a factory in Alabama a few more days or weeks of employment (at near minimum wage)?

Greed, allowed by free-market capitalism, is the core of the problem. And since this country was built on capitalism, it will be hard to shift away from this current system.

Somewhere between Socialism and Capitalism is a 'happy medium' or a suitable compromise, (I believe).
Reply to this comment
by infidel_us August 13, 2007 1:28 PM PDT
WARNING: Manufacturing toys in China may be hazardous to your health! :)

Reply to this comment
by erasmus6 August 13, 2007 1:39 PM PDT
ScarletPhD

"Sub-human FILTH!"

Geez, are you talking about yourself again?!
Reply to this comment
by erasmus6 August 13, 2007 1:42 PM PDT
airmanc5

If you can't find an American made tennis shoe you could always buy a Canadian made tennis shoe.:)
Reply to this comment
by phil-in-fin August 13, 2007 1:43 PM PDT
Rafterman1 said,

"Yeah, Zhang Shuhong committed 'suicide' when a government official put a gun to his head and fired :)"

Perhaps Donald Trump could try this to raise his ratings ...

"Zhang Shuhong, you're fired ... Bill (who is filling in for George), show him the door (i.e. let him have it) ..."

BAM!

Can you see the ratings sky-rocket, especially amongst those gun-slinging NRAs?
Reply to this comment
by dzfromsc August 13, 2007 1:51 PM PDT
USAyesterday:
Capitalism does have very serious problems. I would have to agree with you about that.
Who let company A outsource in the first place? The government should have been protecting America's assets, not shipping them off to China.
I'd rather it say made in Japan than made in China.
I didn't say WalMart or shopping at WalMart was the only reason but it certainly doesn't help the situation.
Unions are no longer doing what they were intended to do.
And maybe that family man making $40,000 can't afford to buy American clothes, but some people can.
We should re-use and recycle...it can't make anything worse.
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