WASHINGTON – Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co. Ltd. recently sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) in order to provide “more details and data showing that our light truck radial tires sold in the United States are safe,” according to Modern Tire Dealer magazine.

The Chinese tiremaker “continues to collect and share information that it believes offers clarity regarding the quality of (its) tires.”

Foreign Tire Sales Inc. (FTS), a New Jersey-based importer, plans to start recalling some 250,000 Hangzhou-manufactured light truck tires this month.

Hangzhou said FTS “submitted a defect report to NHTSA even though FTS lacked the necessary data to make an informed conclusion about the safety of the tires. We will continue to provide NHTSA with information needed to make a more accurate assessment about the quality and safety of the tires.”