Corrupt Chinese Food Safety head executed

[Archaic]

From the BBC

China food safety head executed
The former head of China's State Food and Drug Administration, Zheng Xiaoyu, has been executed for corruption, the state-run Xinhua news agency reports.

He was convicted of taking 6.5m yuan ($850,000; £425,400) in bribes and of dereliction of duty at a trial in May.

The bribes were linked to sub-standard medicines, blamed for several deaths.

China has been criticised over a number of recent cases involving tainted goods, and correspondents say Zheng had become a symbol of the crisis.

Zheng had appealed against his sentence, arguing that it was "too severe" and saying he had confessed his crimes and co-operated with police.

But his appeal, heard in mid-June, was rejected shortly afterwards.

Toxic chemicals

Zheng, who headed the administration from 1998 to 2005, was found guilty of accepting bribes from firms to register their products without making them undergo the necessary checks.

Following his sacking, the Chinese government announced an urgent review of about 170,000 medical licences that were awarded during his tenure at the agency.

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CHINESE FOOD SCARES
May 2007 China probes reports that contaminated toothpaste was sent to the Americas
March 2007 Melamine is found in wheat gluten exports from China for use in pet food, prompting a recall of at least 100 pet food brands
Nov 2006 A dye farmers fed to ducks to make their eggs look fresher is found to contain cancer-causing properties, and 5,000 ducks are culled
August 2006 About 40 people in Beijing contract meningitis after eating partially cooked snails at a chain of restaurants
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Zheng's sentence was seen as unusually harsh for such a senior figure, but the BBC's Dan Griffiths in Beijing says the government hopes the execution shows it is getting to grips with the crisis.

However, food and drug safety standards vary widely across the country and reform will be a major challenge, our correspondent adds.

At a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday, the food and drug agency admitted it had a huge job ahead to improve its supervision of safety standards.

"As a developing country, China's food and drug supervision work began late and its foundations are weak," spokeswoman Yan Jiangying said.

"Therefore, the food and drug safety situation is not something we can be optimistic about."

She said Zheng Xiaoyu's case had "brought shame" on the department, adding that anyone who abused their power would be punished.

Chinese officials have already acknowledged that the country could face social unrest and a tarnished image abroad unless improvements are made.

Dozens of people have died in China because of poor quality or fake food and drugs, sparking widespread international fears about the safety of Chinese exports.

Thirteen babies died of malnutrition in 2005 after being fed powdered milk that had no nutritional value.

US inspectors have blamed exported Chinese pet food ingredients, contaminated with melamine, for the deaths of cats and dogs in North America.

And they recently halted shipments of toothpaste from China to investigate reports that they may be contaminated with toxic chemicals.

 

[Nick]

I hate to say it though I almost wish we had that no nonsense attitude with some of the crooks here in America. Ah well. (meaning the death penalty wasn't so rare)

 

[the gadfly]

The question is did it do any good? Was he just a sacrificial goat so things could continue as they were?

 

[eX.A.K.R.]

The question is did it do any good? Was he just a sacrificial goat so things could continue as they were?

Good point noted .

Moreover, execution for a bribery crime is just simply... overboard. Confiscating his assets, jailing him for decades, and fining him might have been a more efficient punishment.

 

[Vagabond Aeon]

So when can I expect to find HIS head in my general Tso's chicken? I'd probably get the eyeballs lol

In all seriousness though, this does seem like a rather... drastic measure, though not surprising considering which country we're talking about here.

 

[Fig]

Good point noted .

Moreover, execution for a bribery crime is just simply... overboard. Confiscating his assets, jailing him for decades, and fining him might have been a more efficient punishment.

Isn't corruption that directly lead to loss of life manslaughter by another name?

 

[The Big Al]

I don't expect anything to change. China has been "We are China, here us roar" for years. I don't see that attitude changing. This was just a show.

 

[the gadfly]

The thing is, China is going through the wild west of capitalism now. After decades of Communist rule, they really don't know how to behave.

Essentially, they're in the same stage of capitalism that existed in the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Snake oil vendors. Adulterated meat (ever read "The Jungle"?) Medical devices sold to the public to cure all manner of ills that did nothing except injure the buyers. Shoddy products sold by fly-by-night companies. And on and on.

It took public indignation, propelled by muckrakers like Upton Sinclair (author of "The Jungle') to prompt governmental regulations and the formation of the FDA, Department of Agriculture inspections, and all the rest.

From what I've read, the domestic Chinese market is in even more danger from sub-standard products. Exports at least have a multi-national company keeping an eye on things.

The question is will China allow muckrakers? Eventually, they will have to, but how long will it take?

 

[eX.A.K.R.]

Isn't corruption that directly lead to loss of life manslaughter by another name?

Isn't the use of the death penalty on someone who killed somebody a simplistic, violent, and vengeful way to punish someone?

Death penalty is irrevisible; what if he's later found to be innocent or, as what the gadfly noted and implied, nothing more than just a sacrifical goat used just for show?

 

[Fig]

Mind, I'm against death penalty.

But in a country that has the death penalty for murder, I don't see why someone who causes massive deaths through his criminal activities shouldn't be treated as a murderer.

 

[Roses Ablaze]

At least they're admitting to their mistakes. o.o

 

[Otter Mii-kun]

why wouldn't they?

This really isn't much of "news" at all since the (not the) People's Republic executes thousands yearly-more than any other country combined.

http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/chn-summary-eng
http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2004/edition_02-22-2004/featured_0

 

[The Big Al]

In reference to Gadfly's question.

Will China allow muckrakers? No. The Chinese want to make things as cheaply as possible so they can undercut everyone else. If that means there are some problems it's just business.

Unless other countries tell China they will not trade with them until they regulate their industry they see no reason to change.

 

[Mozz]

I wish everything was perfect, like Detroit.

 

[The Big Al]

There's always room for improvement.

 

[the gadfly]

In reference to Gadfly's question.

Will China allow muckrakers? No.

Does today's China resemble Mao Tse Tung's China? Are capitalists trotted out for public disgrace like they were during the Cultural Revolution?

Are MacDonalds, Starbucks, KFC and Coke banned from China?

Are foreign corporations banned from owning stakes in Chinese companies?

The answer, Big Al, is no to all of the above. The country has changed dramatically in the past two decades.

Muckraking already exists in China. Why do you think that guy got executed? It wasn't because foreigners complained. It was because the Chinese complained. And how do you think they learned about what he did?

Muckraking exists in China. It's still in its infancy and the government tries to suppress it, but you know, the Chinese are too clever for its government. They find ways around the censorship. And that's why you see them speaking up for themselves more and more. It may take a decade or two, but China will reform itself.

 

[eX.A.K.R.]

Mind, I'm against death penalty.

But in a country that has the death penalty for murder, I don't see why someone who causes massive deaths through his criminal activities shouldn't be treated as a murderer.

I don't want to drag this into a debate about the death penalty, but it seems like that you are supporting the death penalty in some way.

Of course, taken another way, you are saying that this person has basically committed manslaughter (just charged with something else), and therefore deserved the same type of punishment as a person who murdered someone in his jurisdiction. If this is the way you are seeing this, then I would agree with you. Very much.

Gadfly did point out something at the very beginning of this discussion though, which is valid no matter how you look at this: is he just a sacrificial goat executed just for show, to create an illusion that China is coming down hard in people like him (and in this case, food safety), when things are really otherwise?