NPR: Report: Chinese Food and Drug Critics Silenced

Report: Chinese Food and Drug Critics Silenced

When I was talking to my son Wednesday about not buying products from China, I told him that one of reasons some people try to avoid them is because of concerns about safety -- especially in food and drugs.

The Washington Post offers a scary addition to the saga this morning. The paper documents several cases in which Chinese citizens tried to bring illegal activities involving food or drug companies to the public's attention and were silenced by Chinese government authorities. Several of these whistleblowers were jailed.

Factors like local protectionism play a role in this -- friends protecting friends -- but it seems the main reason is the Chinese government's fear of anything that makes the country look bad.

[Zhang Zhijian, who helped spread online an essay about the corrupt practices of former Food and Drug Administrator Zheng Xiaoyu and lost his job and spent time in jail because of it] said he has received no apology from the state or from the local government. The last communication he had with officials was the day Zheng was executed. He got a phone call from the prosecutors who helped convict Zheng, he said, and they told him not to talk about his case anymore, saying: "It's over. You understand? It's not certain people's fault."

9:27 AM ET | 07-19-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Well... I guess we should just stop trading with China... right? I mean, it couldn't be that bad for our economy for us to be, I don't know, manufacturing our products here? Am I nuts or something?

Sent by Jody Sol | 1:19 PM ET | 07-19-2007

The Chinese cover up tainted food, and the Americans don't have the ability to uncover any such thing. It looks like Mr./Ms Citizen are on their own, trying to prevent another Katrina in their own dining room.

Sent by Ron Moxley | 3:05 PM ET | 07-19-2007

Companies may control the food sources but consumers control the ultimate bottom line and until more consumers become involved in pushing for complete labeling including not only ingredients but country of origin nothing will change.

Sent by pamela | 6:27 PM ET | 07-19-2007

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