Made in China (simplified Chinese: 中国制造; traditional Chinese: 中國製造; pinyin: zhōngguó zhìzào) is a mark affixed to products manufactured in the People's Republic of China, specifically mainland China. While Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of China, most products made in those regions are labeled as "Made in Hong Kong" and "Made in Macau", respectively. Although the name "China" is used by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, the label "Made in China" is generally affixed to products made in the former. Products made in the Republic of China do not use the "Made in China" label. Rather, either "Made in Taiwan" or "Made in R.O.C." is used. Currently it is uncommon to see "Made in P.R.C." Due to recurring worldwide criticism regarding the poor quality of Chinese-made products, the Chinese government aired a series of special documentaries called "Believe in Made in China" to counter the accusations while calling the criticism "demonizing" and unfair. ^[1]

Contents 1 Marketing significance 2 Controversies 2.1 2007 Chinese Export Recall 2.2 2008 Chinese milk scandal 2.3 2009 Made in India scandal 3 Expressive Media 3.1 Made in China - photography project 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Marketing significance

"Made in China" is one of the most recognizable labels in the world today due to the large manufacturing industry of the rapidly developing China. The label can be seen on a huge range of goods from clothing to electronics. Some companies, such as Apple choose to label their products with "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" to indicate that even though the products are made in China, the original design was from the US. However, US law requires the country of origin of the product to be clearly displayed on the product, or on the product's container if it is enclosed.

[edit] Controversies

[edit] 2007 Chinese Export Recall

The 2007 Chinese export recalls were a series of scandals involving tainted food and products exported from China, starting with tainted pet food imported from China to the United States that poisoned pets.^[2] The recalls sparked international concern that many products made in China do not meet minimum quality standards. Soon after, the US halted imports of seafood from China after tests detected the presence of drugs unapproved in the US.^[3][4] China has gone on record to admit that nearly a fifth of products made in China do not reach minimum standards.^[5] Also, some children's toys made in China were found to contain excessive levels of lead, prompting widespread concern. In 2006, shipments of cough syrup and other medicines, imported from China to Panama and laden with the toxin diethylene glycol, caused mass poisonings and killed 83 people.^[6]

On December 19, 2007, The US House of Representatives passed legislation (H.R. 4040) that would significantly amend the current U.S. safety establishment for consumer products imported from China.

[edit] 2008 Chinese milk scandal

One year later, the 2008 Chinese milk scandal refers to a food safety incident in mainland People's Republic of China involving milk and infant formula which had been adulterated with melamine, an organic base combined with formaldehyde to form plastic. The result was castastrophic - By 22 September, nearly 53,000 illnesses, over 12,800 hospitalisations, and four infant deaths had been reported, caused by kidney stones and other renal failure.The chemical appeared to have been added to milk in order to cause it to appear to have a higher protein content. The same chemical was also involved in a series of pet food recalls in 2007.

[edit] 2009 Made in India scandal

In June 2009, the Nigerian Government Drug Regulatory Authority (NAFDAC) reported about the detention of a large consignment of fake anti-malarial generic pharmaceuticals labeled Made in India but produced in China^[7]. The Laboratory analysis conducted by NAFDAC revealed the drugs to be fake and had it not been intercepted, about 64,200 adults would have been affected. The consignment containing Maloxine and Amalar tablets, used for the treatment of Malaria, were valued at 32.1 million Naira and were produced, packed and shipped from China. After Indian Authorities took up the matter, The State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) of China was asked to investigate the matter^[8].

In July 2009, customs officials in the South Indian port city of Chennai seized spurious cosmetics and mobile phone batteries worth Rs.3 crore (30 million), imported into India from Scheko in China. The 40 foot container was held up at the port for more than 75 days and opened on 13th July when the importer did not file a bill of entry. It was reported to contain over 1.87 lakh (187 thousand) batteries with Nokia holograms and stickers, and 1.26 lakh (126 thousand) cosmetic items including face packs, lipsticks and hair gels. ^[9].

[edit] Expressive Media

[edit] Made in China - photography project

In 2008, photographer Lorena Turner developed the photography project, "Made in China". Inspired, in part, by photographer Ed Burtynsky, whose project "China" looks at the country's massive social and economic changes, as well as other photographers and projects emphasizing China's industrialization, Turner shifts the dialogue from the scale of the transformation to the objects made in China for sale and consumption outside of the country by photographing their surface, hunting for fingerprints of workers. Turner's photographs evidence another's touch, another human’s relationship with them and reveal a hidden story and history.

[edit] See also

• Country of origin
• 2007 Chinese export recalls

[edit] References

• Fan, Y. (2008) “Country of origin, branding strategy and internationalisation: the case of Chinese piano companies”, Journal of Chinese Economic and Business Studies, 6:3, 303-319, available at http://hdl.handle.net/2438/1593
• Fan, Y. (2006) “The globalisation of Chinese brands”, Marketing Intelligence &Planning, 24:4, 365-379, available at http://hdl.handle.net/2438/1285

[edit] External links

• Made in China OECD Observer, November 2006.
• Made in China FT.com IN DEPTH
• Chinese contract manufacturer directory
• Lorena Turner website

{Economy of the People's Republic of China}