Safe Food Products Are Rare Commodities in China

Why mainland Chinese are too scared to eat

Each year, a plethora of Chinese food products are exported to the United States, Japan, and Europe. Although some food products from Hong Kong don’t meet very high standards, they are far better than most of the food products coming out of China, which are seriously substandard. Does this mean that Chinese people do not enjoy good quality food, clothing, and housing? Yes, you could say so. Worse yet, the premium grade products and foods are exported to foreign countries, while the substandard ones are left for the mainland Chinese.

Chinese people long to feel safe using or eating domestically produced products. However, people worry about things like “leather milk,” “melamine milk,” “methanol wine,” poisonous soy milk and rice, fake vaccines, splitting buildings, leaning buildings, “dough bridges,” and many others. These newly created terms do add new words to standard dictionaries, but they scare the Chinese people to death. 

Why do foreign cars, computers, different foods, and many other daily necessities seem so desirable to Chinese people? It is the quality of foreign goods. Many people face a tough decision in making a purchase—domestic or foreign goods? The proof is in the pudding, and one cannot earn consumers’ confidence by concealment and deception. Any business that’s in it for the long-run,  must take the public’s interest into consideration, in order to win their trust. 

Products from the Mengniu Dairy, which contained carcinogens, have repeatedly made headlines—first in 2008, with the melamine milk scandal, then in 2009 carcinogens were found in their Deluxe line of products, * then in 2011, the company managed to mass poison a group of primary school children. After many corrections, the company still repeated its mistakes. People believe that the Mengniu Dairy is not the only food company in China that has committed such criminal and negligent acts. 

Chinese people are the most kind-hearted and tolerant people. Even if a company has repeatedly made mistakes, people often forgive them.  Their only hope is that the company quickly corrects its mistakes. What wishful thinking that is! The Chinese view things this way because of their kindness and naïveté. Heartless businessmen take advantage of these people and only think about making a profit. If everyone who has been victimized would come forth and stand up for their rights, unscrupulous businessmen would not only lose their wealth, but probably their lives.

Why do human lives mean so little to these businessmen? Why are food safety violations so rampant? The reason is that officials from different related departments have colluded with these businessmen for profit and gain. Thus, they forgot their own duties and responsibilities. In the end, they blamed others and protected each other. Is there any wonder why scandalous incidents have popped up one after another in China?!  

Chinese businessmen, please keep our food unadulterated!

Chinese businessmen, please keep our buildings upright! 

Chinese businessmen, please keep our roads and bridges sturdy! 

Chinese businessmen, please keep our environment safe and clean!