by frog
One of the things we will be trading with China under our new preferential trade deal is drugs. And Sue Kedgley has just pointed out that provisions in the preferential China trade agreement require most goods to be fast tracked through borders within 48 hours.
It seems highly likely that this will weaken the safety provisions that both New Zealand and China have in place, and increase the amount of products arriving here that could be contaminated or counterfeit.
Her comments follow the Herapin controversy in the United States where 81 deaths have been linked to contaminated herapin imported from China.
The way heparin is made and distributed demonstrates this. The raw material for heparin comes from membranes in the intestines of pigs, which are mixed together and cooked, and this process often takes place in unregulated family workshops in China.
The ingredients are then transported to plants that manufacture them for shipment to another trader.
Meanwhile the Greens placed an ad in the Herald today calling for people to make submissions to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee in the next 2 weeks on the China trade agreement. It’s the only chance people will get to have say on this trade deal.
Published in Economy, Work, & Welfare | Health & Wellbeing by frog on Wed, April 23rd, 2008
Tags: , China, drugs, Free trade, Frog, frogblog, green party, greens, Herapin, new zealand, Sue Kedgley, trade agreement
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
Just a comment on Human rights abuse: in a situation where society looses self control (due to stresses such as hunger etc) might not a government be justified in over riding human rights (eg shoot looters)?
In Chinas case it is a matter of regime protection and it looks like Zimbabwe is going down that track.
We may look back longingly at a time when America was the enemy.
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and when you are ‘making submissions’ against the (done-deal!) of the china fta..
ensure you wear waterproof trousers..
as..essentially..you will be p*ssing into the wind..
eh..?
and your time could be better spent doing macrame/staring out the window.
eh..?
phil(whoar.co.nz)
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I find myself agreeing with Phil u. (First time for everything!)
First the AS bill, then the EF bill, now the FTA.
Waterproof trousers are the order of the day.
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