China import products

[ken_cinder]

Is it just me, or all the concerns over Chinese import products a little fishy? It's quite striking that these things are only occuring in the US, and in some cases showing up only in Canada due to importation of tertiary industry products here?

 

We should all know about the dog food problem, and some may know about others. Now we have diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in engine coolant, showing up in toothpaste? The chemicals found in ALL the concern products has me calling BULL$HIT! These aren't chemicals that would be found ANYWHERE near the types of manufacturing facilities the raw products and finished goods are made in.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6684563.stm

 

I believe nothing more than a global power scare from the US/UK about the fact that China is poised to become the worlds leading economic superpower.

Sure, the above story originates from Panama........not surprisingly one of the western worlds largest through-ports for import/export to Asia and South America? But a UK news source making a leading article of it, when it's halfway across the world, and there are far more pressing matters in the world that could be reported on?

 

I just find all the recent speculation and scares about Chinese exports to be startling, China has always been very vigilant with quality control of it's exports. Sure, you'll find cheap garbage IN China, but for the most part exports are of a significantly higher standard to local fare.

[Weirdy]

Well, business obviously do everything they can to save a buck. In addition, I also find this fishy, regardless if it's propaganda, since businesses can hire lobbyists galore to have this shiit censored.

 

My two cents.

[L.S.D]

Take my words for it. It might be true. Chinese businessmen are well known to cut corners just to make that extra profit. I know. I'm Chinese

[ken_cinder]

Take my words for it. It might be true. Chinese businessmen are well known to cut corners just to make that extra profit. I know. I'm Chinese

 

There's a difference between cutting corners to save money, and adding ingredients that don't even belong in a product. These ingredients couldn't even be considered a substitute, let alone be more cost effective than any ingredient they could have been used to replace.

 

Where does melamine (Used in the manufacturing of high grade plastics) find it's way into a dog food manufacturing facility?

Where does diethylene glycol find it's way into a facility that produces toothpaste?

 

I can't see a dog food plant, making HDPE plastics in the same building, and I can't see a toothpaste manufacturer, making engine coolant in the same facility. Now I'm no expert on the laws regarding industry in China, but even some 3rd world countries have laws in place banning the use of such things in places that deal with anything manufactuered for human consumption, or even that of animals/pets.

[Shoma]

If I'm not mistaken, China needs U.S. to retain the somewhat decent economy thay have now. Dont yo u dare think that China can survive on it's own, no, China cant survive just without USA. I find nothing fishy here, just like the Wendy incident with the human finger or w/e.

SOmething small turned big, in which may be the case in China's supposid soon-to-come takeover.

 

But while we're on da subject, China wouldnt even try to mess up thier trust with the U.S., and even if they did, sad to say, the U.S. can BARELY survive without China and might be forced to look the other way. Why? CUz there goes 80% of our cars, toys and artifacts including furinture. And dont get me started on Japan!

 

I'm not up-to-date with China's econmy so i dont know if they are near the possiblilty of exceeding USa in economic power(which i highly doubt) but the last time i checked, USA and Asia have a, "I need you and you need me, even if we bombed each other" relationship.

 

My point is, it's pointless to throw a huge fuss, cuz worst case scenario: China gets a "Bad exporters" for this because we cant afford to say, "We will close all tradings with CHina becuase of safety issues."

Edited May 24, 2007 by Shoma

[ken_cinder]

You obviously have ZERO understanding of how global economy works. As a simple afterthought, the more money that stays in the US the better, especially US citizens money.

 

The more money that leaves the country, the lower the value of your dollar becomes if that money doesn't return in some form. You want to keep as much of your own money circulating in your country, while bringing money in from outside the country.

 

This isn't a simple matter of "We can't boycott Chinese exports". Many companies that are importing Chinese goods, are importing finished goods that in turn, send money outside the country for the cost of those goods.

When it's an American company doing so, it doesn't make as large an impact, as most of that money remains inside the border.

When it's a Chinese based company, selling that product and all profit leaves the country, THAT is where it hits hardest. There's no money going back into the economy in anything other than wages and overhead.

 

Company A belongs to Company B, both originating out of the US, produces finished goods for sale in US. Wages paid to US citizens (At least we hope), profits stay within US borders to US shareholders (For the most part) and the only money leaving the country is inital costs of imported goods or services. Minimal economic losses.

 

Company C belongs to Company D, C is a US company but is owned by offshore investors from (As an example) China. Goods are purchased from China, most profits distributed to Chinese investors, and the ONLY money staying inside the border is wages and any internal overhead. THIS is why governments charge surtaxes on things like offshore investment income etc, the losses here are MUCH larger than a US based company, selling goods to US citizens using as much US raw materials as possible.

 

Hey look at me, I'm Canadian, using the US as a reference only because you inferred it dammit! Stop thinking the worlds economy revolves around the US, it could disappear off the face of the earth and it would continue to spin.

[Shoma]

Hmmmmm.... I'll admit that i may not be strong-minded in this particular subject but i just find it out hard to believe that you can disregard U.S so easily. that last sentence went down rough in my throat.

Dont think i'm a snobby a American(i'm native^^) but if theres a higher ranking of trading organization that im unaware of, i'm sure USA is at da top.

But my point was explaining that the USA cant boycott China BECUASE the economy doesn't revolve them.

I'll just have to update my foreign economy knowledge from 06.....

AS for the first sentence....................I know what supply and demand means.. so HAH!

Edited May 25, 2007 by Shoma

[ken_cinder]

Well it's simply true, ANY economic power could disappear tomorrow, and in the long run it wouldn't make ANY difference. Sure, there would be initial chaos and restructuring, but once everyone sorted where they would base their supply chain, and their end market it would be no different.

 

Let's take Canada off the map. And I quote:

 

Exports account for roughly a third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its principal trading partner, the US, which absorbs about 85% of Canadian exports. Canada is the US' largest foreign supplier of energy, including oil, gas, uranium, and electric power.

 

Now, that leaves the US missing ALL those Canadian imports. What happens then? They go elsewhere, as now not only is Canada's GDP no longer a variable, neither are any of it's imports which put those back in the market.

Certainly some of our imports are US exports, and the US would have to look elsewhere, but that leaves those exports open to trading for necessary imports from other countries. No single country in the world has a stranglehold on ANY single resource despite what you may read (Iraq may have the most ACTIVE oilfields in the world, but untapped resources are abundant and/or yet to be found, elsewhere in the world), so what is needed CAN be traded for elsewhere. If you didn't read close enough, read the quote again too, where does most of the US' fossil fuels come from? Not Iraq........not even the Middle East as a whole. But they COULD.

 

And I quote:

 

leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Not a knock, but highly overestimated given the fact that the US imports more of what they need than every other non-G8 nation in the world COMBINED. Finished goods and technical based goods and services do account for most of the GDP, but more than half of that is based off NON-US raw materials, and at LEAST 75% of those things are directly imported. You don't actually think that ANY TV you buy in the US, was built there do you? If you do, you're blinded. Even the quite American White-Westinghouse doesn't make ANYTHING they sell, it's all rebadge.

Sony, Panasonic, JVC are not even based in the US, yet they are THE big names......the list goes on and on. Don't think I'm "hating" either, just telling it like it is.

 

Anyway, what I'm getting at, is that any of the worlds economic strong could up and disappear tomorrow. It wouldn't mean a damn thing once the dust settles, as not only do the things that country pushes across it's borders disappear, but so too do the things they pull in.

If the world only consisted of the G8, that would be an entirely different story, and one hell of alot of chaos.......but the G8 don't even make up 1/3 of the worlds economy.

[Shoma]

Touche my armored friend...

So going back to the article, what action should be made, if any?

[Rawrthness]

Is it just me, or all the concerns over Chinese import products a little fishy? It's quite striking that these things are only occuring in the US, and in some cases showing up only in Canada due to importation of tertiary industry products here?

 

We should all know about the dog food problem, and some may know about others. Now we have diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in engine coolant, showing up in toothpaste? The chemicals found in ALL the concern products has me calling BULL$HIT! These aren't chemicals that would be found ANYWHERE near the types of manufacturing facilities the raw products and finished goods are made in.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6684563.stm

 

I believe nothing more than a global power scare from the US/UK about the fact that China is poised to become the worlds leading economic superpower.

Sure, the above story originates from Panama........not surprisingly one of the western worlds largest through-ports for import/export to Asia and South America? But a UK news source making a leading article of it, when it's halfway across the world, and there are far more pressing matters in the world that could be reported on?

 

I just find all the recent speculation and scares about Chinese exports to be startling, China has always been very vigilant with quality control of it's exports. Sure, you'll find cheap garbage IN China, but for the most part exports are of a significantly higher standard to local fare.

 

i hated the dog food... killed my dog that i had since i was 3

[OverlordMondo]

Touche my armored friend...

So going back to the article, what action should be made, if any?

Global thermonuclear war!