On Tuesday, Chinese and U.S. safety officials in Washington signed an agreement to prohibit the use of lead paint on toys exported to the United States, in the wake of the recalls of millions of playthings decorated with paint containing the toxic metal.

Li Changjiang, Chinese safety inspection chief, reiterated the government's stance that part of the recalls were due to changes in U.S. safety standards and were not the fault of the Chinese manufacturers. Still, he said, the issue "needs the common cooperation of the two countries to unify the standards."

In the pact, China also pledged to step up inspections of its exports and take other steps to ensure that those products meet US standards, said Nancy Nord, acting head of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The United States and China also agreed to cooperate on improving the overall safety of the latter country's toy exports, as well as fireworks, cigarette lighters and electrical products.

"This is an important signal from the Chinese government that it is serious about working with CPSC to keep dangerous products out of American homes," Nord said.

China has become a center for the world's toy-making industry, exporting $7.5 billion worth of toys last year and accounting for nearly 87 percent of the toys imported by the United States, according to China's Commerce Ministry.

"Before Christmas, we will certainly provide children safer, better and more appealing toys. They will certainly like them," Li told reporters on the sidelines of a food safety conference.