Chinese officials to visit U.S. for safety talks

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China will dispatch delegations to the United States in August and September to discuss food and product safety following a spate of product recalls, a Chinese Embassy official said on Wednesday.

Zhao Bao Qing, first commercial secretary of the embassy, told reporters the senior-level delegations would discuss the recent problems and Chinese safety measures with U.S. authorities from the Food and Drug Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The first delegation will arrive later this month, and a second, higher-level delegation will visit in September, he said.

Mattel Inc., the largest U.S. toy company, on Tuesday recalled 18.2 million toys globally, including 9.5 million in the United States. The toys were recalled due to hazards from small, powerful magnets and lead paint.