The Hangzhou Zhongce case has received unusually prominent coverage by Chinese media because the company is the country's second-biggest tire manufacturer. Many other Chinese companies involved in product recalls are small and less well-known.

Tires tested by the AQSIQ were found to meet US standards, known as Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 119, or FMVSS 119, according to the Oriental Morning Post newspaper.

A spokesman for Hangzhou Zhongce, Gu Weiguo, declined to comment Wednesday. In a written statement, the company defended its products and complained that FTS lacked technical knowledge to file a report with the US government on product safety.

"The tires made by Zhongce Co. and imported by FTS underwent three different design stages. The design of these three stages met or even surpassed all relevant safety regulations," the statement said.

The company pledged to work with US transportation officials and said it hoped for a "proper, accurate" decision.

The company earlier accused FTS of making its claim with US authorities in order to gain an edge in a lawsuit filed in May claiming the Chinese partner supplied faulty tires.

Ma Liangqing, director of China's National Center for Tire Quality Inspection and Supervision, said the strip should not be used as a safety measurement, according to the newspaper.

"Whether to have it, or how thick the strip is, are technical issues. The designs vary in different companies," Ma was quoted as saying. "The key is whether the finished products are up to standard."

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