Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 07GUANGZHOU1213, MATTEL - MENDING FENCES AND FIXING PROBLEMS

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07GUANGZHOU1213.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07GUANGZHOU1213 2007-11-14 04:58 2011-08-23 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Guangzhou
VZCZCXRO5414
RR RUEHCN RUEHGH RUEHVC
DE RUEHGZ #1213/01 3180458
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 140458Z NOV 07
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6653
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 001213 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY COMMISSION RICH O'BRIEN/INTL 
PROGRAMS 
STATE PASS USTR CHINA OFFICE 
STATE PASS HOMELAND SECURITY COUNCIL 
STATE PASS IMPORT SAFETY WORKING GROUP 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD EIND TBIO ECON PGOV CH
SUBJECT: MATTEL - MENDING FENCES AND FIXING PROBLEMS 
 
REF: GUANGZHOU 887 
 
(U) This document is sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect 
accordingly. Not for release outside U.S. government channels. Not 
for internet publication. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Mattel's relations with Beijing are on the mend 
and there are no indications that provincial government authorities 
are planning to sue the company for alleged damage to the "Made in 
China" brand, according to Mattel executives based in South China. 
More frequent product testing and enhanced supply chain control - 
the lessons of the recall - have prevented further problems with 
lead paint in Mattel toys since August.  The executives also 
commented that China had strengthened its inspection system for the 
toy industry, with new Chinese regulations requiring toy 
manufacturers to get third party certification confirming that new 
toy lines meet safety requirements.  End summary. 
 
Mending Fences with Chinese Officials 
------------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Mattel's relationship with Chinese national-level officials 
is improving, according to Theodore Pang, Senior Counsel and 
Director of Asia Pacific Legal Affairs.  Pang told Congenoffs 
November 9 that after a recent informal lunch with a high-level 
MOFCOM official, senior Mattel executives felt that Beijing no 
longer doubted the company's commitment to improving China's safety 
record.  Pang stressed that Mattel and China had a long history of 
working together and the national government is again relying on the 
company to play a leading role in restoring the international image 
of brand China. 
 
3. (SBU) Pang also said he was not aware of any lawsuits against 
Mattel for damaging the "Made in China" brand.  Media reports in 
early November cited rumors of provincial Guangdong officials 
considering a suit against Mattel for alleged harm to the country's 
reputation.  Subsequent news stories quoted officials clarifying 
that the government would not be filing any lawsuits of this type. 
Pang emphasized that his company had cooperated with government 
authorities at every level to correct Mattel's quality problems. 
This has included working with Guangdong provincial officials to 
organize product quality training for other players in south China's 
toy industry. 
 
4. (SBU) During the discussion with Congenoffs, John Trang, Vice 
President and General Manager for Mattel's south China operations, 
noted rising costs in the Pearl Delta River region and said Mattel 
was looking at other possible locations for expansion of 
manufacturing operations.  However, he emphasized that Mattel had no 
interest in relocating its manufacturing facilities out of China. 
 
Fixing Problems in Supply Control 
--------------------------------- 
 
5. (SBU) Expanded testing has been one of the key elements in 
Mattel's effort to strengthen product safety controls in its south 
China manufacturing operations.  The executives explained that 
Mattel had begun testing every new batch of toys for lead and other 
heavy metals, regardless of how long a particular line of toys has 
been in production.  Prior to Mattel's August recalls, it relied 
primarily on random sampling for well-established toy lines after 
they passed a battery of initial quality and safety tests.  The 
Foshan factory that Congenoffs visited, which makes die-cast Hot 
Wheels cars and plastic Fisher Price toys, employs approximately 150 
quality control workers out of a total staff of about 4,000 during 
peak season.  Mattel's product testing lab nearby occupies 2,000 
square meters with 60 technical staff.  The lab performed 15,000 
tests in 2006 and is working towards accreditation as a private lab 
capable of certifying toy quality for any toy manufacturer in China. 
 
 
6. (SBU) In addition, Mattel has tightened controls over companies 
authorized to supply paint for its products.  Mattel requires all 
factories and sub-contractors to order paint from one of seven 
certified Chinese suppliers.  Each new batch of wet paint is tested 
upon delivery to the factory before being released for production. 
Random testing also continues for dry paint during each production 
run.  All paint used in Mattel's products is coded by batch and 
 
GUANGZHOU 00001213  002 OF 002 
 
 
catalogued to allow traceability if test results reveal problems 
later in the production process.  The Mattel executives told us that 
no new cases of lead paint had been discovered since the new 
procedures were implemented in August. 
 
China Tightening Controls Too 
----------------------------- 
 
7.  (SBU) Chinese inspectors have also tightened their product 
safety controls, according to the Mattel executives.  Simon Tan, the 
Manufacturing Director at the Foshan plant, said that China 
Inspection and Quarantine (CIQ) inspections had become more 
frequent.  Previously, the Foshan plant had been inspected only on a 
yearly basis.  However, since the recent recalls, the plant had 
already been subjected to additional inspections.  He also noted 
that new Chinese regulations required toy manufacturers to get third 
party certification confirming that any new toy line meets safety 
requirements. 
 
GOLDBERG