Turnabout is fair play. Sometimes.
The Chinese government is making a long list of US goods and services that are no good. According to The Wall Street Journal the items include turbines from GE (NYSE: GE) and everything from pacemakers to cotton pickers to ultrasound scanners from other companies.
Of course, some things made in the US don't work or are broken. But the fact that senior China officials are making these lists now does seem a bit odd. Especially after Chinese-made toy cups from Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and toys from Mattel (NYSE: MAT) have been recalled by the hundreds of thousands.
No one is fooled here. It is strange that the Beijing government believes that pointing the finger at the US will take the spotlight off its country's failings. But Chinese trade officials have to to something to keep their jobs.
Douglas A. McIntyre is a partner at 24/7 Wall St.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-10-2007 @ 9:55AM
L McIntyre said...
What would happen if this country stopped
inporting and exporting everything to China?
We might see a very quick change in their attitudes and quality of their products.
This action would hit them where it hurts the most. "IN THEIR ECONOMY"
10-10-2007 @ 10:13AM
medic 908 said...
China....... you get what you pay for. The out sourcing of jobs to China and other poor labor= Corparate greed. Cheap labor... poor product. Look for the Union Label.
10-10-2007 @ 1:26PM
oliverpee said...
China OWNS most of our greenbacks. We HAVE to
stop it and buy our own Sh(t! It will cost more, but we get quality and increase the value of our dollar
and keep us employed. You get what u pay for. China is a dirty, filthy country outside of Beijing. SARS and lots of diseases originate there. They eat
domestic animals and have practically fished out the ocean. My best friend is half chinese and would never go back. Sais the people are rude and filthy.
10-10-2007 @ 2:16PM
Ronald D Smith said...
Having worked directly with several Chinese factories I can tell you two things;
1. Every major American company who has product made for them in China has an on sight American quality control manager in the plant(s) Do not buy product made from China unless it carries a brand name you recognize. 2. The Chinese never say "no". They will tell you that they can and will do anything you need done at the price you ask for. The reality is that if the price asked for is too low they will find a way to cut corners. The result is what happened at Matell. The use of lead paint was not authorized by Matell but was nontheless used by the plant to cut costs.
We as consumers have done this to our selves and there is no turning back. When push comes to shove it is "price"ives the sale.
10-10-2007 @ 4:14PM
Ratbert said...
The only thing the Union Label guarantees is overpricing--I will continue to buy German cars until an American car comes out on top in reliability and safety...
As long as I continue to see 1 Union guy working and 2 watching I will stay away...
10-10-2007 @ 8:23PM
brian said...
Screw the slant eyes bastards. Killing our pets and poisoning our kids!
QUIT BUYING THEIR JUNK!!! i HAVE!
10-11-2007 @ 1:19PM
Jim said...
How ironic! I am so sick and tired of buying practically everything I
use indoors and outdoors and having to take it back to wherever I
purchased it from as it either breaks right away or doesn't work in
the first place....99% of which are "Made in China". The old adage
is never so true..."you get what you pay for."
10-14-2007 @ 5:19PM
Sharon said...
I always hear the word union in defense of the outrageous trade practices going on. But the word union does not excuse lead in lipstick, sewer water in lard, lead paint on children's toys or bibs, poison in pet foods,millions of jobs shipped overseas with poor replacements or none at all, stagnant wages, massive trade deficits, due to massive foreign importation but no equal amount of exportation to foreign countries, in particular China. Allowing a communist country control what you wear, what your children play with or what you eat. Our economy weakening and China becoming stronger. Hacking in our military computer system and now attempting to buy stock in the very system that has that military information. Oh no, Union does not excuse all that.
10-15-2007 @ 1:17AM
John said...
Wake up guys... the high wage American union workers are the reason why everything is made in China now. If the union can stop asking for $70 an hour salary and stop striking, there will be less outsourcing and our trade deficit will be less.