Cheap? Yes — but now China has quality issue (China's Exports faces problems)

Extract from article (NY times) - An Export Boom Suddenly Facing a Quality Crisis

SHANGHAI, May 17 2007 — Weeks after tainted Chinese pet food ingredients killed and sickened thousands of dogs and cats in the United States, this country is facing growing international pressure to prove that its food exports are safe to eat.

But simmering beneath the surface is a thornier problem that worries Chinese officials: how to assure the world that this is not a nation of counterfeits and that “Made in China” means well made.

Already, the contamination has produced one of the largest pet food recalls in American history, heightening global fears about the quality and safety of China’s agricultural products. And evidence has also shown that China exported fake drug ingredients, threatening to undermine the credibility of another booming export.

“This isn’t an international crisis yet, but if they don’t do something about it quickly, it will be,” said David Zweig, a China specialist who teaches at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “The question is whether it spills over and ‘Made in China’ becomes known as ‘Buyer Beware.’ ”

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Related articles:

• (Latest) China tries to calm jitters about milk exports (Reuters 18 Sep 2008)
• Problems raise concerns as country shifts to cars, other high-end goods (MSNBC July 25 2007)
• China export tax rebate reductions: “quality not quantity” (May 1 2008)