Drug cheaters are an ongoing problem in the PRC. 2012 saw 77 million drug capsules seized because tainted industrial gelatine was used. Undeterred by the authorities’ arrests and prosecutions for the poisonous gelatin, an even larger batch of chromium laced gelatin capsules were produced and sold two years later. 90 million capsules have gone out to the public. Authorities have arrested some and seized a relatively small amount of product.
The illegal workshop’s owner, identified by his surname Pan had hired 10 people from the county who were involved in a tainted capsule scandal in 2012, the report said. South China Morning Post Unfortunately for us in Western Europe and N.America the counterfeiting and poor quality controls are increasingly affecting pharmaceuticals. Many generic drugs or their precursors are produced in China. The situation is compounded when people seeking lower priced pharmaceuticals order from shifty online sites. The American FDA has extensive warnings and tips to distinguish reputable sellers from the cheaters – FDA BeSafeRx. Buying fake drugs can kill you. At NEWTEKWORLDNEWS: Counterfeit goods in Fake Britain Sources: Radio Free Asia China Real Time South China Morning Post FDA
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At that point the paper loss amounted to $4 trillion USD. In addition, state-run institutions received orders to buy.
Manipulation of markets is not new in the PRC. Two years ago an artificial and sudden credit crunch was engineered which saw interest rates shoot up to nearly 13%. Why should we in the west care? China’s influence in today’s trading climate is huge. Raw materials are purchased and manufactured goods are sold world-wide. 38% of world economic growth in 2014 was due to China. When a country devalues its currency or it is devalued by free market forces, the goods it sells are cheaper on the world market. The flip side of that is all imports to that country suddenly become more expensive. When the Canadian dollar started a slide in December 2013 it continued downhill until it currently hovers around 75% of the value compared to the USD. Nothing regarding the PRC should be taken at face value. This may be the start of a currency war in which countries engage in competitive devaluations in order to maintain market shares. Or it may be that the economic miracle that brought China to the front row of trading nations has run its course. Sources: The Guardian Bloomberg Financial Post
Vietnam is arming itself. They have taken delivery of four Russian submarines and have two more on order. They have also purchased Russian missiles and are expected to eventually have a total of 50.
Countries that have no claim to the territories in the S. China Sea are also concerned about the bellicose actions of the Chinese. The trade routes annually transport $5 trillion in goods. Australian PM Tony Abbott is busy shoring up relations with his SE Asian neighbours, recently signing a mutual defense accord with Singapore. US Deputy Secretary of State called China’s island building “a threat to peace and stability”. He went on to draw parallels with Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Sources: South China Post Sidney Morning Herald International Business Times Reuters NBC News
“It was smelly and I nearly threw up when I opened the door,” said an official from Hunan province, where 800 tonnes were seized. The Guardian
No stranger to food scandals, the PRC poisoned thousands of children in 2008 with tainted milk, many dogs and cats in N. America were poisoned with melamine in their food, fake eggs and fruit are relatively common. Who could forget the sight of thousands of drowned pigs dumped into the water supply of the glittering, modern Shanghai? China’s neighbour to the south, Vietnam, currently has a scandal of their own. They have intercepted a shipment from China of thousands of cats destined for restaurants where there is a demand for feline flesh. Thousands of cats in small cages were summarily buried. Some of the cats were still alive at the time. Sources: CNBC The guardian Market Watch
The Chinese Communist Party began recognizing International Women’s Day in 1922. After coming to power, it became an official holiday.
Women were also prevented from displaying posters protesting against sexual harassment on public transport. In spite of the stated equality of both sexes in the PRC, women are still openly discriminated against in careers and socially. It makes the fine words of China’s foremost revolutionary somewhat hollow. Women hold up half the sky Mao Zedong As an added slap at the Chinese women, while the human rights offices were being raided, the International Olympic Committee was in Beijing for a five day inspection. China is one of the favoured sites for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The world knows how well the government of China kept their word about reforms in order to garner the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Sources: Radio Free Asia Pressreader Washington Post Human Rights Watch |
Barbara McPherson
Blogger, gardener, farmer. Working toward food security and a 30 foot
diet. Addicted to reading. Love this planet, especially my little corner
on Vancouver Island, Canada Archives
October 2016
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