AS REPORTED in “High Gear” last week, Aston Martin recalled more than 17,000 cars, blaming a “Chinese sub-supplier using counterfeit plastic material in a part supplied to the company.” This week the company was slammed by Chinese state media over the handling of the recall.

The official Xinhua News Agency joined other local media in criticizing the carmaker saying that it failed to recognize mismanagement of its own supply chain. "Aston Martin's latest recall passed the buck for poor quality of products, but this time 'Made in China' is just the scapegoat of the glorious carmaker," Xinhua said in a report headlined, "Aston Martin plays 'Made in China' blame game."

"Higher levels of technology and quality are the ultimate solution for the unjust stereotype of 'Made in China' as cheap and copycat," Xinhua said.

Obviously, the issue is somewhat sensitive in China for its media to react in this manner. Regardless of the facts of this case, which is still being investigated by a US regulator, there may have been indeed a counterfeit part provided by a Chinese or another supplier to Aston Martin. But, naming the nationality and the identity of that supplier does not exonerate Aston Martin of ultimate responsibility for the integrity of its vehicles. This is especially true when the part involved is used in “the accelerator pedal” which makes it a serious safety issue.

Documents of the case reveal that the Chinese company involved, Shenzhen Kexiang Mould Tool Co. Ltd., is in fact a third-tier supplier to a Hong Kong company called Fast Forward Tooling, which in turn was contracted by a manufacturer based in the UK.

While the official Chinese People’s Daily reported a Kexiang manager as saying his company was too small and outdated to handle an order from Aston Martin, the paper failed to find a business registry in Hong Kong for Fast Forward Tooling.

The paper concluded that Aston Martin’s management has “unavoidable responsibility for the problem.” As far as supply-chain management is concerned, one has to agree.

— Adel Murad is a senior motoring and business journalist, based in London.

Email: [email protected]