09-29-2013, 08:44 PM
(09-29-2013, 01:27 PM)Maggot Wrote: In the back of my mind I think that we are so in debt to China that behind closed doors the powers that be are allowing this to happen, relaxing laws that otherwise would not be considered. But there is no proof.
I think it's a trade strategy.
The US wants to be able to export more agricultural products to China's huge consumer population. The Chinese want to be able to acquire more processing/manufacturing work and increase their exports into western markets.
I don't think either side would go for it if there wasn't an anticipated positive ROI for their respective markets.
There's been a lot of chickenshit in the poultry trade markets between the countries for years. The Chinese government banned American beef exports into China in the early 2000s after the whole mad cow scare, and then the US blocked Chinese chicken exports coming here, and then China implemented huge chicken tariffs, and then the UN got involved... Bush Jr. was working on opening up the markets back during his administration.
Found this quote that I read in Business Week last month. Hoping Mr. Super is right and that the inspection protocols and processes are followed religiously (under the agreed-to "honor system") to ensure product safety.
“We certainly don’t look forward to any more imports, but we also realize free trade is a two-way street,” said Tom Super, spokesman for the National Chicken Council, which represents big chicken processors in the United States. “We’re hoping the Chinese will look a little more favorably on our chicken products and on other U.S. agricultural imports.”