Pet food tainted with melamine. Toothpaste made with an industrial solvent. Toys coated with lead paint.

Mattel Inc., the world's largest toymaker, has recalled millions of Chinese-made toys.

Unfortunately, these problems should not come as much of a surprise. The irresistible push for lower costs led American manufacturers to countries with lax regulation while at home the Consumer Product Safety Commission was trimming its sails. It now is running at half its strength of 30 years ago and hasn't had a chairman in more than a year.

Most toys appear to be safe, but parents won't tolerate any hazards. And they should not.

The safety commission, which is overly beholden to the industries it is supposed to be regulating, needs to play a larger role in oversight, which will require an increase in its budget.

Manufacturers and major retailers must tighten up their supply chains, which they have begun to do. Manufacturers, in particular, ought to employ their own full-time inspectors in foreign factories to ensure quality.

The Chinese government claims it is cracking down, but that's small comfort given China's breakneck growth and well-documented problems. Still, the United States must not pull back from trading with the Chinese, which could touch off a trade war that would be harmful to both sides.

Consumers can try to buy American-made products, although that takes more work — 65 percent of Mattel's goods are produced in China, and 80 percent of all toys coming into the United States are Chinese-made. High-quality American-made toys are sold in practically every toy store, but there is less selection.

In the long run, the best answer is a China that is both open to free markets and freer oversight. But China's transition to a regulated market economy may take years. In the meantime, the U.S. government must insist on a stricter inspection regime both here and abroad, especially for products intended for our kids.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel