China's quality control chief yesterday gave Hong Kong tourism a boost, especially for those hungry for hairy crabs from Jiangsu's Lake Yangcheng.

Li Changjiang, who heads the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Center, said Hong Kong officials had visited crab farms and the lake on a safety and quality inspection mission.

He told a Taiwan journalist that the lake's hairy crabs are safe, rich, fat and tasty.

"It is a pity the Taiwanese authorities banned its import [for allegedly containing heavy metals exceeding safety standards]. Those wishing to eat this delicacy can go to Hong Kong, Macau and the mainland," Li said.

On a more serious note, he pledged that children in the United States would receive appealing and low-cost made- in-China toys as presents for the Christmas festive season.

He said that despite Mattel's recall saga and apology, demand for mainland manufactured toys was on the rise, adding that there was a 27.7 percent increase in demand in the first eight months of this year.

Li reiterated that a nationwide four- month product safety and quality campaign to restore consumer confidence, which has been hit by a spate of unsafe food and flawed product scares, had been effective.

But, he added: " No country can guarantee 100 percent quality and safety."

Li said that his deputy will visit the United States to meet health officials to prepare for the Sino-US Memorandum of Understanding on Product Safety.

The quality control chief said Vice Premier Wu Yi had conducted field visits to consumer outlets in Shanghai and Zhejiang but he declined to say whether the top female leader had found any stores breaching quality and safety guidelines.