Latest comments posted about Poisoned children test China on ChinaDialogue en-gb http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/3284-Poisoned-children-test-China http://staging.chinadialogue.net/images/cdlogo.gif http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/3284-Poisoned-children-test-China Surely it is better for government to subsidise provision and use of appropriate pollution control technology by small- and medium-scale mineral processing enterprises than to give incentives to large scale industry to speculate on an ever expanding market. The latter would of course tend to concentrate power (and provide the odd kickback). There is a major business opportunity for China's engineers to develop low cost, appropriate technoloiges for pollution control - worldwide, not just in China. China's paper industry is a case in point. Most small, locally-owned pulp mills have been closed (ostensibly due to their pollution) and their labour forces have lost their livelihood. In contrast, the number and scale of new mills now not only exceeds China's demand but is driving policies which promote the conversion of smallholders' land to pulpwood plantations. These tend to require much more water, energy and fertiliser than the former land use. They might also reduce the ability of the small holders to earn a living from their land. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:48:03 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9423 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9423 After seeing another one of these poisoning incidents, I really have nothing to say; there are far too many children affected. In the past, we could have very good childhood memories, but now we are troubled prematurely by sickness. As for these children and their parents, their hopes for a good life have already changed into a future of hopelessness. (Translated by Michelle Deeter) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:58:35 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9417 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9417 This reflects the enormous problems that exist in China’s current industrial structure. To a large extent, we rely on high levels of waste and pollution in our industries to support the 8% GDP growth rate. Behind the bright facade are countless cases of people with deteriorating health. The refined language that approves of the good circumstances hides a vast number of victims who are moaning in pain. In every place, the government employees at every level are only concerned with the growth targets transmitted down by the upper levels of government. They turn a blind eye to the demands of the lowest levels of the masses. In many cases when the central government introduces a policy, it is originally intended to benefit the masses, but once it is time to implement the policy at the local level, it is so distorted that it doesn’t even resemble the original policy. (Translated by Michelle Deeter) Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:42:41 +0000 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9416 http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/summary/3284#comment-9416