Key words: gutter oil used for medication products, Chinese official possesses luxury watches

Gutter oil used for healthcare medication exposed

A subsidiary of the Shenzhen-based Joincare Pharmaceutical Group in Jiaozuo, Henan Province was recently exposed for allegedly using over 16,000 tons of gutter oil in the manufacturing of medication and other healthcare products, between early 2010 and July 2011.

The oil was allegedly used to produce batches of 7-ACA, a necessary component in the production of antibiotics, which were widely distributed to healthcare product manufacturers. 

Gutter oil has been sold illegally as cooking oil in China for years, and although the government is making great efforts in dealing with the problem, industries are still finding new ways to profit from it.

Chinese media has begun exploring the reasons behind the use of gutter oil in healthcare products made to save lives, not endanger them.

Shaanxi Province-based Chinese Business View published an editorial reducing the scandal to two factors: profit and power. From small retailers to large enterprises, they all desire to cut costs and increase profits, especially when there is no supervision in place. Using gutter oil is just another way of cutting corners to increase profit.

Ironically, the public cannot help but consider how this will affect the stock market as a whole, said the paper. Investors expect normal market fluctuation, but many will lose faith in China's pharmaceutical industry if companies are accused of using gutter oil.

The media also called the efficiency of government officials into question. Public security authorities would have protected more consumers if they had simply acted sooner, said news website Eastday.com.

The Beijing News considers that a lack of transparency will reduce consumer faith in food safety, while also damaging government credibility overall. The only way to put public concern to rest is to expose all enterprises involved and punish them accordingly.

Chongqing Economic Times attributes the gutter oil case to a combination of regional protectionism, low standards and lack of oversight. The local government has possibly protected such enterprises for their own benefit, while out-of-date safety standards make effective supervision nearly impossible.

Official possessing luxury watches triggers public supervision

After the deadly sleeper bus crash in Shaanxi Province last month, safety supervision official Yang Dacai drew criticism from netizens not only for being caught smiling at the scene, but also for his taste in expensive watches. After Yang later admitted to owning five or six luxury timepieces on his Weibo account, he was discovered to own a total of 13 expensive watches.

Although the Shaanxi provincial disciplinary office launched an official probe for possible violations by Yang, the public and media, angered by the photos, dug further into Yang's financial background. 

CCTV host Bai Yansong commented it unreasonable to say citizens can systematically fight corruption through Weibo, adding that luxury watches might disappear from officials' wrists during public events, but that won't stop them from wearing them in private. "After so many years of being pushed from within the Party, why are oversight offices still so slow and ineffective?" asked Bai.

The Global Times wrote that such incidents "have repeatedly exposed how fragile the general image of Chinese officials is."

It said that in the era of new media the public serves as an important social watchdog. Exposed officials now must answer to the public and must be disciplined in order to improve the general image of government.

The Hubei Daily echoed that in order to restore confidence among the public, the government should not attempt to cover up mistakes, but rather communicate openly.

"We are not asking governments to be perfect, but we need them to be honest and express a sincere commitment to transparency. This is absolutely necessary to rebuild their image," said the paper.

Eastday.com wrote that as public figures, officials should be cautious when choosing their hobbies, as their interests reflect on those of their colleagues and may influence society. "Yang's collection is surely not helping domestic growth, but rather fattening the wallets of foreign watchmakers," wrote Eastday.com. 

Qilu Evening News based in Shandong Province encourages people to "keep an eye on Yang's watches", as monitoring personal property is a way for ordinary people to help fight corruption. The paper appealed to the government to improve oversight of officials' finances and make their income and assets public record.

Caijing Magazine suggested this case should serve as a warning for every official that China has entered the era of "Weibo 2.0" and the public is watching. However, Caijing stated the Internet is not a forum to judge officials, and we still need a reliable judiciary system to back up the public.