Americans Joining China's Bureaucracy. Yea, That's The Ticket
The first time I read how American government food inspectors are going to be "embedded" in Chinese government food inspections, I honestly thought it was sarcasm. I cannot remember where I first saw it, but I thought I was reading an Onion-like story expressing how desperate the United States has become to solve its food safety problems. I have since learned this story was no joke, but I am hardly any closer to taking it seriously as a resolution. Now The Black China Hand is out with a post telling me why (I love it when someone else articulates what I am "feeling," but unable to say.
His post is entitled, '3's Company" and it says none of this makes much sense because of the following:
I don’t get this. I mean why would China, the country that loves its privacy and fiercely guards its domestic arena from foreign interaction allow another sovereign nation to inspect its food supply. Are they for real? Furthermore, I’m not sure that I think it is a good policy move for China or the US. There are so many things that could go bad. For example, if there is another tainted pool…China can say, it’s not our fault it’s those American inspectors. Or, what will be the reaction of American inspectors if they don’t get the freedom that they are use to in the US (which it more likely then not). This definitely warrants a stay tuned and see what happens.
Just another case of bureaucrats believing taxation gives them super-human powers.
http://www.chinalawblog.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-t.cgi/2320
Americans Joining China's Bureaucracy. Yea, That's The Ticket:
Comments
US should not have agreed to send their food inspectors to China. US should conduct their own inspection at the port of entry to US, and send the ships back if they found anything wrong. There are too many tricks China can play with the system. Blaming the US inspector for failure to detect is only one of them. They could have switched the food after the US inspection in China. They could fake US approval.
China can even send food with fake US approval to EU, and create another problem for US. Or, even worse, send fake US approved food to Africa, and accusing US of genecide.
Posted by: Huck | December 16, 2007 8:00 AM
Actually I am not surprised by this news. I was almost expecting it.
The intention, I think, would be to learn from the practices of foreign agencies like in any other joint venture between a Chinese and USA companies.
That will put pressure on local Chinese food supervision agencies to improve its processes.
Also, the presence of foreign inspectors in carefully selected cases can bring a fear of losing face to under suspicion food producers that could be more effective than any law of threat from Peking.
Of course, it all depends on the real intention of the Chinese authorities, but I a consider highly probable that the top echelon of Chinese government will be carefully supervising this move to ensure that they get the wished results... without much hush hush. Better the inspector inside with whom to discuss the problem first and take first steps to solve it than let it explode on foreign media with its damaging results for Chinese food exports and image.
Maybe the American inspectors will not be 100% free to go and do what the want, they will be "embedded" in Chinese organization after all. But as said, where the Chinese government decides to set an example they will not be restrained, and all measures necessary will be taken to get things really done.
On the other hand, the American inspectors will certainly be be smart enough not to make public food scandals without consulting first with Chinese colleagues, but that does not mean that action to correct the problem will not be taken. The American food agencies will gain also first hand knowledge that would facilitate faster prevention measures if necessary without having to wait to read a new scandal in the news.
I bet the Chinese are counting on them to gain confidence from the USA food agencies that they are serious in handling the food problem. Good for exports! ;-)
I counting on more "embedding" like this in other areas of interests.
Posted by: alfaeco | December 16, 2007 11:20 AM