(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-01-06 16:20

China's toy exports grew in the first 10 months of 2007, Xinhua reported Sunday, despite global recalls of millions of Chinese-made toys over lead paint concerns and design flaws.

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The exports worth $7.07 billion between January and October were a 20.1 percent increase from the same period in 2006.

"The 10-month period saw China's toy exports to European and North American markets recover and that to emerging markets grow rapidly," Xinhua said in its report.

The top two markets remained the European Union and the United States, which together bought 67.6 percent of China's total toy exports between January and October, according to the report.

The report did not give the number of toys exported during the 10 months. The government has said that China, the world's largest toy manufacturer, exported 22 billion toys in 2006, about 60 percent of the world's total.

America's Mattel Inc recalled more than 21 million Chinese-made toys worldwide. Products including Barbie doll accessories and toy cars were pulled off shelves because of concerns about lead paint or tiny detachable magnets that could be swallowed.

But Mattel apologized to China in September that 87 percent of the recalled toys were found to have loose magnets -- a design defect from Mattel itself -- and 13 percent of which contained excessive lead.