HANOI - LAOS has temporarily halted imports of milk from China amid a growing tainted milk scandal, a newspaper reported on Monday.

Authorities found goods that may contain the toxic chemical melamine during an inspection of markets in the capital Vientiane, according to the daily Vientiane Times.

'Checks in Vientiane markets led to the discovery of two milk products that may contain melamine,' the daily cited an unidentified ministry official as saying.

'The ministry (of public health) has asked provincial health care offices in border provinces and airport staff to temporarily halt the import of milk-flavoured toffees, milk and milk powder from China to prevent health problems in Laos,' the official added.

No children have fallen ill in communist Laos, the report said.

But in China, some 53,000 babies who drank milk laced with melamine, which is usually used in making plastics, have become sick and four have died.

A growing list of China-made foods and drinks have been removed from stores across the world since the scandal was first exposed earlier this month.

Some manufacturers had been using melamine to make watered-down milk appear full of protein.

Five children in Hong Kong and one in Macau developed kidney stones after drinking tainted Chinese milk, the only cases outside mainland China. -- AFP