中国、「粗悪マスク」８９００万枚超を押収 輸出向けも多数

【北京ＡＦＰ＝時事】中国当局はこれまでに、8900万枚を超える粗悪品のマスクを押収したと、政府関係者が26日、明らかにした。中国に対しては、世界各地に輸出された防護用品をめぐって多数の苦情が寄せられている。（写真は中国・北京で、防護服を着てマスク製造に当たる従業員）
　新型コロナウイルスの感染者数は世界中であわせて約２９０万人に上っており、防護用品の需要が急増している。
　その一方で、特に医療従事者や被害を受けやすい人々のためとして、中国から輸出されたマスクなどの製品の中に不良品があるとの苦情を訴えている国も複数ある。
　中国の市場規制当局が記者会見で明かしたところによると、２４日の時点で１６００万社近い事業者らを対象に検査を行い、８９００万枚を超えるマスク、４１万８０００点の防護用品を押収したという。
　さらに、効果が認められない消毒剤も、７６０万元（約１億１５００万円）分が押収されたという。
　中国は２５日、粗悪品を排除するため、新規則を発表。非医療用マスクであっても、国内および国際基準を満たさなければならないとしている。
　中国商務省関係者が報道陣に明かしたところでは、今年これまでに輸出されたマスクは１０億枚以上。
　中国の企業データベース「天眼査」によると、マスクの製造を新たに開始した企業は、今年１～２月だけで８９５０社にも上ったという。
　税関当局者は今月に入り、全国規模で封鎖措置が講じられていたにもかかわらず、「手っ取り早く稼ぐ」方法として、事業所が違法な医療用品の乱造を続けていたと指摘。
　この関係者の話では、他国へ輸出される予定で港湾当局に没収された不良品のマスクは今月半ばの時点で３１６０万枚以上、防護服は５０万９０００枚に上ったという。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/04/28-13:02）

China has confiscated over 89 million poor quality face masks, a government official said Sunday, as Beijing faces a slew of complaints about faulty protective gear exported worldwide.
Demand for protective equipment has soared as nations across the globe battle the deadly coronavirus, which has infected nearly 2.9 million people.
But a number of countries have complained about faulty masks and other products exported by China, mostly for use by medical workers and vulnerable groups.
As of Friday, China's market regulators had inspected nearly 16 million businesses and seized over 89 million masks and 418,000 pieces of protective gear, said Gan Lin, deputy director of the State Administration of Market Regulation, at a press conference.
Regulators had also seized ineffective disinfectants worth over 7.6 million yuan ($1.1 million), she said.
It is unclear how much of the confiscated goods were destined for markets abroad.
In a bid to eliminate poor-quality products, China released new rules Saturday saying even non-medical masks must meet both national and international quality standards.
Exporters must file a written declaration that their medical products meet the safety requirements of the destination country, the ministry of commerce said in a statement.
The tighter rules come after several countries including Spain, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Turkey were forced to recall hundreds of thousands of shoddy masks and pieces of protective gear imported from China.
The Canadian government last week said that about one million face masks purchased from China failed to meet proper standards for healthcare professionals.
Dutch health officials last month recalled over half a million Chinese masks -- which had already been sent to hospitals ? after complaints that they did not close over the face properly, or had defective filters.
According to official figures, China's daily mask production has passed 116 million.
In the first two months of the year, a staggering 8,950 new manufacturers started producing masks in China, according to business data platform Tianyancha.
Despite the nationwide crackdown, businesses were continuing with illicit production of medical equipment since it was a way to earn quick money Jin Hai, a Chinese customs official said earlier this month.
Over 31.6 million faulty masks and 509,000 protective suits destined for export had been confiscated by port officials as of mid-April, he said.