The Washington Post reports that even as Chinese manufacturers reel from a series of safety issues that have prompted a variety of food and nonfood recalls and threatened that nation’s export status, the Chinese government “has accused the United States of exporting substandard soybeans,” saying that “harmful weeds and contaminated dirt had been found among the beans, which could threaten China's agricultural and forestry production and ecological safety.”
Chinese regulators say that because of the new discovery, they will be watching imports from the US much more carefully.
Chinese regulators say that because of the new discovery, they will be watching imports from the US much more carefully.
- KC's View:
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Interestingly, nobody quoted in the Post story denies that the soybeans may have been substandard. Rather, the general feeling seems to be that these things happen, and that the Chinese just need to find some way to fight back against the growing feeling that “made in China” has become a warning label.
Still, there are some concerns, since China is the world’s largest soy importer – and any major disruption of trade could have a significant economic impact. Wouldn’t it be ironic if China decided to implement its own version of Country of Origin Labeling (COOL)?
At the very least, I expect that this game is going to continue for some time … especially because no matter how China tries to counter both perceptions and realities, I’m guessing that safety problems with its exported products are going to continue to emerge.
