Trading with the world’s corrupt nations: China

Posted on | June 13, 2006

I was distressed to read that the environmental and human rights activist Fu Xiancai had been recently brutally assaulted following his meeting with the Public Security Bureau after his interview with German public television station Das Erste about the Three Gorges project (full story HERE ).

Only recently in the wine press one reads of Australia’s new found market for their wine (China). And, the more prosperous French viticulturists too who recently flew over in a private plane to Hong Kong in order to entice the up-and-coming and sickeningly brand-conscious Chinese to buy their wares. Doubtless the Chinese might even think that ‘fine wine’ was enhanced by a degree of ’sophistication’ ” did you know that this word can also mean ‘adulterated wine’ and must be one of the most misused words around?

Nowhere is any connection made to China’s appalling human rights record - their incursions against Tibet having been long ignored by all the super-powers and yet China enjoys so-called Most Favored Nation trading status (MFN) with the USA (actually it’s a dispensation under Normal Trade Relations (NTR) granted annually).

Does anyone really care about this? Perhaps Australian wine-makers might label their wine in such a way that it highlights notable human rights’ abuse in China over the last decade. Since animal labels sell so well would pictures of tortured human rights activists also sell? Or maybe Australians are too wedded to their koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)? I really think, however, the Chinese might enthuse about a label with a Taipan snake on it (Oxyuranus scutellatus) - one of the most venomous creatures on the planet. And, maybe the French château owner who feels a pang of conscience following the exhorbitant price hike on their 2005 en primeur would like to help pay for Fu Xiancai’s operation?

Sadly, I know the answer to all these questions. It’s not omniscience, just a knowledge of human nature.

As for my own form of protest.. I have decided not to buy any wine that comes from China…

Fabian Cobb

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