In Role Reversal, China Blocks Some U.S. Meat

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/14/AR2007071400264.html

In Role Reversal, China Blocks Some U.S. Meat

By Ariana Eunjung Cha and Renae Merle
Washington Post Foreign Service
Sunday, July 15, 2007; Page A01

SHANGHAI, July 15 -- China announced Saturday that it was blocking imports of some U.S. processed meat that showed signs of contamination, turning the tables on critics who in recent months have questioned the safety of Chinese exports and making good on a warning that it would apply greater scrutiny to food shipments entering its borders.

The suspension affected some of the largest U.S. food companies, including Cargill Meat Solutions and Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat processor.

In recent weeks, Beijing has rejected a number of other U.S. products at its ports of entry, including health supplements, sugar-free drink mix and dried fruits such as raisins and apricots. The increasingly aggressive moves are raising concern that what started as a seemingly isolated investigation in March over contaminated pet food from China has trigged a broader trade skirmish.

"I think there is a bit of a balancing act," said Doug Powell, head of the International Food Safety Network, which gathers information on food-safety issues. "They are trying to keep their own people happy in light of the food problems they have had at home."

The Chinese government said it had stopped problem shipments from seven U.S. companies. Among them, Tyson's frozen poultry products were contaminated with salmonella and Cargill's frozen pork ribs were laced with a feed additive designed to keep animals lean, the government said. The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine also said that frozen chicken feet from Sanderson Farms contained an anti-parasite treatment residue and that frozen pig ears from Van Luin Foods USA also tested positive for the leanness-enhancing additive, called ractopamine.

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[zabet]

1. Balancing act??!?

How are we supposed to know for sure that it was not a case of 'tit for tat'?

[Bitwit1234]

2. If that is from the 1% of imports the Chinese take in

would we now be importing .05% as opposed to the United States buying 70% or more of our products from China..Kinda unfair balance there isn't it. And I didn't know that China allowed ANY products from the US to be imported.