Chinese Make a Brutal Point on Food and Drug Safety
China has a lot riding on consumer confidence. The rest of the world is increasingly dependent on its exports. Losing newly won global markets could be disastrous, just as its own people are beginning to understand what other people have and to enjoy the fruits of Western retailers opening premises where they can now afford to shop.
So the recent scandals about melamine infecting pet food and animals entering the human food chain, soon followed by revelations about toothpaste containing poisonous chemicals, left the Chinese government having to take action.
To show they mean business, Zheng Xiaoyu, the commissioner of China's Food and Drug Administration from 1998 to 2005, was sentenced to death on May 29 after being found guilty just the day before for taking bribes to approve substandard medicines, including an antibiotic blamed for at least 10 deaths.
The sentence was unusually heavy even for China - known for its court-ordered executions - and likely indicates the leadership's determination to deal with the recent scares involving unsafe food and drugs.
"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the safety and security of food," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a press briefing when asked about Mr. Zheng's case, according to the Associated Press. "We stand ready to work with the international community to safeguard the quality and reputation of the Chinese food industry."
Other actions are also being taken. Following what was called a two-day "strategic economic dialogue" between Chinese and American officials, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said, "the Chinese government clearly understands the world marketplace will swiftly disadvantage any nation or economy or firm that is not able to establish a sense of confidence and reliability." One Chinese official pointed out that although importers of uninspected products must also share responsibility, steps are being taken by the Chinese government to prevent future problems.
Among other things, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that "companies are now required to tell Chinese customs when they export or import glycerine, and have it inspected, according to a notice published on the customs website (www.customs.gov.cn). Five proteins, including casein which is used as a food binding agent, are also on the list, as are citric and tartaric acid, other widely used food additives, molasses, maple syrup and even ginger biscuits."
In addition, China's government also announced plans for its first recall system for unsafe products to be in place by the end of the year.
"All domestic and foreign food producers and distributors will be obliged to follow the system," Wu Jianping, director general of the administration's food production and supervision department, was quoted as saying by the state-run China Daily newspaper.
The State Food and Drug Administration plans to blacklist food producers breaking the rules," the China Daily reported, adding that serious violators could be barred from the market. At present, the paper said, "only one section on product inspection issued in 2002 touches upon food recall and the need for such a system."
Discussion Questions: Do you think the death sentence given to the former head of its food and drug administration as well as newly proposed regulations will instill confidence among countries China exports to? What is your view on how dependent China has become on the income from food sold in the U.S. and Europe?