Blog Post 5- China's Vow

I refer to the article “China vows to get tough over unsafe products”

Headline: “Beijing will inspect all food exports and severely punish errant manufacturers.”
Date: 17/8/2006 Friday

Firstly, to begin with, how many of us actually cringe at the idea of China-made products? It is rather a generalization nowadays that the above products are cheap and spoil easily. However, I beg to differ. Not all of the products are lousy, it is unfair to stereotype just based on a few examples.

Now, with the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games arriving in slightly lesser than a year later, I feel that the products will have an everlasting effects on everyone. Imagine this: An ambassador falls ill due to improper food production. Not only that, he sees shabby products and as such has an extremely bad opinion of China. How will his opinion affect the economic market and the trade? When his opinion is voiced on the headlines of a newsletter? Millions of dollars will be lost and disaster ensues

Regarding an issue not long ago about officials enslaving workers in a brick kiln for forced labor, shook the whole world, including me to such a great extent. China has no shortage of human labor, and to obtain workers is rather easy. However, the mistreatment of laborers for production of bricks shows how heinous the officials are towards their own countrymen, just to save costs. This act of behavior should be condemned.

On to the products, China products range from toothpaste to toys to eatables. With China’s massive population, the factories prefer quantity over quality products. Manufacturing at a slower rate for better quantity would mean starving of the many. Lead has also been shown to be overused in the products, highlighted in newspapers which draw the attention of many parents towards lead-laden toys.

Now, the blame of the poor quality of the products gets shifted here and there. Not only are the factories affected, even seemingly innocent parties; exporting companies are also blamed for not doing spot checks. However, if the factories were to put in more efforts into the products, and maybe the exporters doing a few random checks here and there, then the problem will be solved.

My personal reaction to this whole incident is that no matter whose fault is it, safety comes first. What I can be certain is that everyone would not like to see mass casualties arising from unsafe products. Though the business between factories is competitive, they should at least spare a thought for the consumers/ buyers. Making money is not as important as saving lives. That should be the 1st priority amongst the workers. Though reducing quantity for quality will result in monetary loss, it is still incomparable to the gratitude and the holy act of saving lives.

If the workers were to place themselves in the shoes of others, how would they like it if their loved ones died from poisoning? Wouldn’t it have been a death easily prevented with a few spot-checks?

After all these criticism, there are actually good points to note if you place yourself in the perspective of others. Firstly, the quantity of the products makes the prices extremely low and affordable. Imagine, one can easily save about more than ½ of his salary by selecting china products.

However, after all, despite cheap cost, one should not look down on Chinese products. As a Chinese, looking down on the former would be absolutely ridiculous. The factories are a massive source of jobs for the ever rising population, as the products are a source of income for many.

If everyone’s perception on production could be changed for the better, almost everyone in the world will benefit.

The option to save the world lies in your hands- to educate the masses and enlighten them.