[fleshfly]

Very well said.

People in developing countries (most of the English speaking internet) overestimate the efficiency of the Chinese government. It's not a coincidence that challenges in business regulation and judicial fairness arise there at the same time as phenomena usually perceived as abuse. What's commonly seen as evil is more simply pure incompetence, and it would take spending mere minutes with local Chinese folk to realize that their industrial habits, systems, and education are still decades behind those of the western world.

Corruption (accusations of which people dismiss as political weaponry) is actually a massive issue, especially with small-time graft and favors, both in the private and public sector -- as the only truth about doing business in China is that money greases wheels faster than it does in other places. The economics is important, as just one generation ago, China experienced intense famine and chaos that defies belief, and one can feel today still the effects of the social chaos and upheaval of that time. If one wishes to analyze the industrial behavior there, it is seldom useful to leap to moral arguments without analyzing the economic incentives first, unless ones' only purpose is to feel superior.

[bsder]

> People in developing countries (most of the English speaking internet) overestimate the efficiency of the Chinese government.

I disagree. I suspect that people in the developing countries have quite a clear view of just how brutally efficient the Chinese government can be if it wants to be.

You don't just magically create industrial quantities of a banned gas without having a market for it. As there is no other market for this besides inside China, these producers likely got at least tacit approval/gave solid bribes from/to important folks in the party.

If the Chinese government wants this gone, it will disappear. If it doesn't disappear, the Chinese government doesn't really want it gone that badly.

[ggm]

I don't think you understand the nature of a state/federal government. the Federal government in China has absolute authority? Yes. Does it routinely interfere inside individual states regarding powers devolved to the state? No. Because when it does, there are effects which cause extreme stress.

Every province in China has a huge square of property in Beijing, with a hotel, casino or similar complex on it. They aren't there because the central power wants to give land grants to the provinces, They're there because it has no choice

The provinces are surprisingly powerful. They can make things happen. At some level, somebody is probably hoping to make the provincial government act speedily on this, and make them realize how bad it is for future trade from their factories. But these things take time.

On a Tu Quoque note.. how well did the EPA do telling the Californian Oil and Gas sector to stop leaking methane from that giant underground tank? I mean.. thats a "thing" in greenhouse gas, right? Just venting..

[mimi89999]

I don't think that they had to bribe anyone. There is just no quality assurance or standards.

Products sold in China must be cheaper than those exported, so that workers can afford them. That means that standards will be nonexistent.