Chinese producer says tires not defective

WASHINGTON, June 26 (UPI) -- The Chinese manufacturer of 450,000 tires facing a recall in the United States Tuesday denied the tires were defective, saying the claims made up.

The tires are linked to at least two deaths in the United States, possibly because of an absent "gum strip," which could lead to the tire treads to separate and fall apart, The New York Times reported.

Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company, the Chinese company producing the tires, disputed the allegations Tuesday, intimating the recall may be an effort to hamper the company's exports to the United States.

"This is concocted out of thin air," said Xu Youming, a legal affairs manager at China's second biggest tire maker. "Zhongce couldn't possibly leave out the gum strip on purpose."

The recall is the latest involving products entering the U.S. market from China. During recent months, the U.S. government issued warnings and nationwide recalls involving Chinese-made products such as contaminated pet food and toxic toothpaste to toys coated with lead paint.

Federal officials Monday told Foreign Tire Sales of Union, N.J., to recall about 450,000 radial tires under the brands Westlake, Compass, Telluride and YKS because some were missing a safety feature.