Mondo Times Health Poll Archive

This poll ran from August 6 to 12, 2007.

Mondo Stars Poll Results

"China has long ignored reports about shoddy products." True 761/94% False 46/6%

Votes: 807

From the article "Made (badly) in China" by Oliver August, published in the July 29. 2007 issue of The Los Angeles Times. August is a former Beijing bureau chief for the Times of London.

August writes that "the reason so many Chinese products sold in American malls are faulty is not a lack of regulation, but corruption."

"Only now that (Beijing) has been embarrassed by the export of the problem is it taking note. Last week, Zheng Xiaoyu, a former food and drug safety watchdog, was executed after being found guilty of corruption and dereliction of duty." Zheng had confessed to accepting gifts and bribes from eight drug companies that sought special favors. He received a car, a villa, furniture, cash and corporate stock. In all, he and his family accepted gifts valued at more than $850,000. In China, the average worker earns less than $2,000 a year.

August concludes that "the system of governance that has allowed people like Zheng to break the rules until they become a nuisance will stay in place. It has worked well for Beijing. And it has worked well for American consumers who have enjoyed low-cost Chinese products. Until now."

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