Has China shot itself in the foot for good?

[MWC]

There seems to be a new report in the news every week about a different Chinese import that is dangerous, if not fatal, to use or ingest. Contact Lens solution, dog/cat food, toothpaste, now 5 kinds of seafood.

Have you become more leery about purchasing Chinese goods for this reason? I know I have. I used to be a joyful regular at the local dollar store, but I've stopped. I now check labels carefully, and will pay more for something to know that its complete manufacturing process was overseen by the USFDA. I don't even frequent WalMart like I used to, for the same reason. Quality does, indeed, trump cost.

Please discuss. Do you think the Chinese government has the oversight power to turn this around, or do you think they even care? Do you think an entity can expect to enjoy economic vitality when they are known for putting out shoddy and dangerous products?

[JEZ]

It is an interesting topic. Will the public be frightened off by the low quaility and scares, or will they continue to purchase due to price ?

Brings to mind early Japanese cars in the seventies. Lots of whistles and bells, cheap. Turned into rust in a short few years. Seems that we didnt desert them as Toyota sells more cars annually than any other manufacturer. I drive a japanese car myself and love the reliability.

[ELECTRA]

This is a minor bump in the 7 lane highway that is the industry of China. They will "make it right".

Good luck trying to purchase something not "made in China".



...

[Heather]

Originally Posted by ELECTRA

Good luck trying to purchase something not "made in China".



...

No kidding! During my recent trip back to Chicago, I was packing to leave and taking all the little items my mom had gotten for me/my dogs out of the packaging and noticed that EVERY SINGLE THING was made in China. Gave me a little fright, actually.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by ELECTRA

This is a minor bump in the 7 lane highway that is the industry of China. They will "make it right".

Good luck trying to purchase something not "made in China".



...

I agree.

It's just a few bumps, to be expected at a time when their industry is booming and expanding and exports increasing in variety, that's all.

The only thing I would be leery about is food products, and I don't really buy many 'made in China' food products.

[jtm1631]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I agree.

It's just a few bumps, to be expected at a time when their industry is booming and expanding and exports increasing in variety, that's all.

The only thing I would be leery about is food products, and I don't really buy many 'made in China' food products.

How do you know? I mean, are food products labeled with the country of origin of each item? I didn't think they were.

When you eat out at a restaurant do you ask the server if any of the items used in the menu items are imported from China? Do you think the server will even know if item X bought from Sysco is imported from China?

I would love to believe it is as easy as making a decision not to ingest any food items from China, but it isn't. It is very likely that we are all eating food products from China on almost a daily basis and we just don't know it.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by jtm1631

How do you know? I mean, are food products labeled with the country of origin of each item? I didn't think they were.

When you eat out at a restaurant do you ask the server if any of the items used in the menu items are imported from China? Do you think the server will even know if item X bought from Sysco is imported from China?

I would love to believe it is as easy as making a decision not to ingest any food items from China, but it isn't. It is very likely that we are all eating food products from China on almost a daily basis and we just don't know it.

Well, I said I don't buy many. We don't buy a lot of processed foods to begin with, and I think most of our fruits and veggies come from North America.

Bread, cereals, etc. all made in Canada, and I would hope the wheat is from here, but you are right- I am not sure. (The biggest worry to me as far as the food product scare was them using wheat that was loaded with...? pesticides? herbicides? some kind of chemicals.)

Not sure where my rice comes from....and I do buy China Lily soya sauce ...and yes, when we eat at restaurants, that is an unknown. But we prefer Vietnamese food.

But really, I guess I am not that concerned about it, overall. Mistakes can happen with the foods in every country (mad cow steaks anyone? ). Hopefully they will be instituting some better standards.

[jtm1631]

Originally Posted by Rissask

Well, I said I don't buy many. We don't buy a lot of processed foods to begin with, and I think most of our fruits and veggies come from North America.

Bread, cereals, etc. all made in Canada, and I would hope the wheat is from here, but you are right- I am not sure. (The biggest worry to me as far as the food product scare was them using wheat that was loaded with...? pesticides? herbicides? some kind of chemicals.)

Not sure where my rice comes from....and I do buy China Lily soya sauce ...and yes, when we eat at restaurants, that is an unknown. But we prefer Vietnamese food.

But really, I guess I am not that concerned about it, overall. Mistakes can happen with the foods in every country (mad cow steaks anyone? ). Hopefully they will be instituting some better standards.

Your last point is really the most important. I'm not overly concerned. I also think it will be up to the Chinese to do a better job of instituting better standards because I have no faith in the ability of the US to do this.

[MWC]

Originally Posted by jtm1631

Your last point is really the most important. I'm not overly concerned. I also think it will be up to the Chinese to do a better job of instituting better standards because I have no faith in the ability of the US to do this.

For me, it's the complete reverse. I applaud the US FDA cracking down on Chinese imports, because I have no faith whatsoever in the Chinese's willingness or ability to do it.

[MWC]

Originally Posted by Rissask

I agree.

It's just a few bumps, to be expected at a time when their industry is booming and expanding and exports increasing in variety, that's all.

The only thing I would be leery about is food products, and I don't really buy many 'made in China' food products.

I'm not so sure, which is why I started the thread.

I think Corporate China's carelessness with the environment has the potential to turn China into a wasteland, with extremely poor health prognoses (word?) for its citizens. If it continues to not have to hew to the Kyoto protocols, and its air pollution starts affecting other climates ... I'd like to think that will knock it down a few pegs in global influence.

And, of course, there's the specter that global warming will reduce its lands to nothingness

[jtm1631]

Originally Posted by MWC

For me, it's the complete reverse. I applaud the US FDA cracking down on Chinese imports, because I have no faith whatsoever in the Chinese's willingness or ability to do it.

What did the US FDA do to crack down on Chinese food imports? There was a voluntary recall of pet food products when that arose, but nothing more. Information on what products was affected was limited at best and came only from the manufacturers not the FDA. What has the FDA done to protect us from tainted Chinese sea food?

Is there a ban on certain food products from China? No. Has the FDA increased testing of food coming in through the US ports? No. Has the US FDA taken one step to ensure that factories in China that are exporting food products to the US meet certain requirements as to cleanliness, products used, etc? No.

The US FDA pulls a random number of shipments for "inspection" as they enter the US ports. This inspection is performed on less than 1% of all shipments and includes nothing to determine what is in the product being imported. What that means is that the food is not being tested. The inspections are more concerned with the temperature of the product from loading to discharge (for products that are temperature sensitive) and to make sure that all of "paper work" is in order.

I've got bad news for you, you have a better chance of the Chinese government protecting you than you do the US FDA.

[Rissask]

Originally Posted by MWC

I'm not so sure, which is why I started the thread.

I think Corporate China's carelessness with the environment has the potential to turn China into a wasteland, with extremely poor health prognoses (word?) for its citizens. If it continues to not have to hew to the Kyoto protocols, and its air pollution starts affecting other climates ... I'd like to think that will knock it down a few pegs in global influence.

And, of course, there's the specter that global warming will reduce its lands to nothingness

In the long term....that is likely to happen, sure, every mighty empire falls right?

But in the short term, they will do quite well, I bet.

[southbound]

It doesn't specifically address quality control issues (although it does include a quote by an American executive working with manufacturers in China where he describes the "Chinese outlook toward quality control as "happy with crappy"), but this month's Atlantic Monthly features a great article by James Fallows on the whole Chinese manufacturing and trade explosion and how it impacts us (meaning the USA). I'd link to it but it's a "subscriber only" article. The whole issue is devoted to China this month -- definitely grab it off the stand if you're interested.

[MWC]

Originally Posted by jtm1631

What did the US FDA do to crack down on Chinese food imports? There was a voluntary recall of pet food products when that arose, but nothing more. Information on what products was affected was limited at best and came only from the manufacturers not the FDA. What has the FDA done to protect us from tainted Chinese sea food?

Is there a ban on certain food products from China? No. Has the FDA increased testing of food coming in through the US ports? No. Has the US FDA taken one step to ensure that factories in China that are exporting food products to the US meet certain requirements as to cleanliness, products used, etc? No.

The US FDA pulls a random number of shipments for "inspection" as they enter the US ports. This inspection is performed on less than 1% of all shipments and includes nothing to determine what is in the product being imported. What that means is that the food is not being tested. The inspections are more concerned with the temperature of the product from loading to discharge (for products that are temperature sensitive) and to make sure that all of "paper work" is in order.

I've got bad news for you, you have a better chance of the Chinese government protecting you than you do the US FDA.

Okay, I will clarify my comments: I have more faith that entities within the United States are more likely to be responsive toward growing public concern on these issues than Chinese entities are. Probably I am naive; especially where the current administration's priorities are.

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by MWC

There seems to be a new report in the news every week about a different Chinese import that is dangerous, if not fatal, to use or ingest. Contact Lens solution, dog/cat food, toothpaste, now 5 kinds of seafood.

Have you become more leery about purchasing Chinese goods for this reason? I know I have. I used to be a joyful regular at the local dollar store, but I've stopped. I now check labels carefully, and will pay more for something to know that its complete manufacturing process was overseen by the USFDA. I don't even frequent WalMart like I used to, for the same reason. Quality does, indeed, trump cost.

Please discuss. Do you think the Chinese government has the oversight power to turn this around, or do you think they even care? Do you think an entity can expect to enjoy economic vitality when they are known for putting out shoddy and dangerous products?

Fantastic thread, great idea for discussion. I've only read your first post, and I'm looking forward to what others have to say. If nothing else, kudos for bringing this up - fascinating subject!