With last year's recalls and recent misunderstandings about products manufactured in China, a bunch of EO Hong Kong members—who have been in the manufacturing business for a period of time—hope to educate other EOers on the myths and facts of manufacturing in China and what to look for when sourcing from China. We have received a lot of questions from members in other chapters around the world, so we think it may be valuable to debunk some of the rumours associated with our products.

When Jack Cafferty, a CNN journalist, said, “We continue to import their [Chinese] junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food…,” he was referring to the Chinese government and the Chinese in general.

Forty percent of EO Hong Kong's members are in the manufacturing business, and all of our factories are in China, so we see what goes on firsthand. The good news is that the Chinese government never told us manufacturers to make poor products, and we do not wish to poison our customers.

All of our chapter members were educated in the West, and many of us returned to Hong Kong to start new business ventures or manage family businesses. Our companies are not only professional and innovative, but they are also socially responsible. Our products meet international quality and safety standards. Our management complies with local laws, including labor laws, and we are also environmentally conscious. We run our companies with high ethical standards and much dignity.

The truth is that China is one of the few countries to have export regulations, which require the testing of goods before they are exported. Products, especially toys, have to pass their destination markets' standards before we are allowed to ship them. If the destination market doesn't have a standard, then we have to use the Chinese standard, which, in general, is significantly more stringent than US and European standards.

Broadly speaking, most Chinese manufacturers are very aware of these requirements and conduct regular tests. The biggest threat for us is when goods are returned, which, nowadays, would mean that the Chinese authorities would immediately close our factories.

It is fair to say that the Chinese government tries to ensure that goods exported from China are safe. It is unfortunate, however, that because so much is made in China and there are so many factories, having 100 percent control is unrealistic and improbable.

EO Hong Kong's hope is that our fellow EO members from around the world question what they hear from the media. This organization allows us to build bridges and leverage our network of entrepreneurs. So when things like this turn up in the news, we hope to keep the lines of communications open and the truth always revealed.