The move came after Kumho Tire Co.'s plant in the north China port city of Tianjin was found to have used an excessive amount of recycled rubber during tire production.

The inspection is not restricted to Kumho tires. It also applies to products of other tire manufacturers in China, according to a circular issued by the administration.

Many Chinese motorists have complained that Kumho's tires wear out quickly, according to an investigative report done by the official China Central Television Station.

After initially denying the report, Kumho admitted using excessive amounts of recycled rubber in the Tianjin plant. The Korean tire maker said it would order a tire recall.

In its circular, China's regulatory agency ordered its Tianjin office to closely monitor the tire recall at Kumho's Tianjin plant.

The agency also alerted all Kumho tire users in China to watch out for bulges and cracks in their tires, and report such defects to the agency's local offices.

Aside from Tianjin, Kumho has tire plants in Nanjing and Changshu in east China's Jiangsu province. The three plants, with a combined annual production capacity of 30 million tires, supply a wide range of automakers operating in China.

Customers include General Motors, Volkswagen, Hyundai and PSA, as well as domestic Chinese brands such as Great Wall Motor Co. and Jianghuai Automobile Co.