Introduction to International Politics

Foreign Event Analysis

Locale[]
China
Title
Chinese Formula Contaminated
Summary
In the past week, contaminated powdered milk formula in China has caused four infant fatalities and over 6,000 more illnesses. The milk has been contaminated with a chemical called melamine, which although is 66% nitrogen, shows up on tests as added protein. Therefore milk manufacturers were adding the chemical to milk in order to fool the quality tests. This is the same chemical that last year was found in dog and cat food that was manufactured in China.
There have been a number of arrests in China of the people responsible of the added melamine, and the contaminated products have been taken off of the shelves in stores.
Analysis
It is clear from these two articles that China is using their power over their centralized media in order to keep this scandal to the minimum. From the European perspective this is an issue which China is at fault and could not only affect the rest of the world, but severely harm their own citizens. The article from Europe concludes with affirmation that none of the tainted formula has been sent to Europe or the US, only to smaller countries in South and Southeast Asia.
When you read about the same story from the Chinese point of view, in order to keep a stronghold of power and loyalty over their citizens the Chinese have laid out the article in defense of the addition of melamine to the milk and the legal appropriations taking place. The article discusses how 18 arrests have been made, and repeats figures like this throughout the story. This repetition is sufficient in explaining to the reader that “there is nothing left to worry about, all the people responsible have been fired.” Whereas the issue the contamination was allowed to pass through the quality tests in the first place, loaded with nitrogen, was the problem. In addition the Chinese article stresses that melamine is not necessarily that harmful to your health. The article quotes an anonymous scientist stating, “contamination level in liquid milk did not pose a big threat to people’s health. Even milk with the highest concentration of melamine is safe for a 60-kg or heavier adult if he or she drinks up to 2 liters a day.” However, the overall issue is that infants have died and that over 6,000 more are seriously ill.
Perspectiver
Realist
In-Region URL
Out-of-Region URL
Submitted
September 18, 2008 at 9:55 pm