China has a long history of executing dissidents who stray from the communist line, said Jim Hoagland in The Washington Post. 'œNow the regime summarily executes people for being bad at capitalism.' In response to intense international embarrassment over its tainted and dangerous food and drug exports, Beijing last week put to death the man who once headed the State Food and Drug Administration. Zheng Xiaoyu admitted that in exchange for bribes, he had approved untested medicines and allowed the export of tainted seafood, pet food, toothpaste, and cough syrup. With China's $1-billion-a-day export trade at risk, its leaders, it seems, are suddenly worried about product safety. But who can trust them? said The Boston Globe in an editorial. In an authoritarian society, with one-party rule and no free press, China's 'œsavage style of unregulated capitalism' has no oversight. 'œThe rot is systemic,' involving tens of thousands of officials and factories. Killing one official won't change anything.
But the free market will, said The Wall Street Journal. Yes, corruption is rampant, and China's sheer enormity makes regulation difficult. But the Chinese know that if they want foreign exports and investment to continue, they'll need to get serious about safety. 'œSmart officials in Beijing understand the need for reform,' and the government is implementing a new tracking system for food and a more transparent drug-approval process. The recent execution no doubt 'œwill concentrate a few minds,' but the strongest impetus for real reform in China is 'œthe harsh judgment of American business partners and consumers.'
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