【Qin Peng Observation】The Shocking Edible Oil Issue in China: Six Unsolvable Reasons

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Today’s focus: Nearly 20 years ago, China discovered that oil tankers were mixing edible oil, but why are ordinary people still unable to access safe edible oil? There are six major reasons, each more shocking than the last.

The State Council of the CCP ordered an investigation, with a former media person dampening expectations and predicting the only outcome of the investigation. Xi Jinping instructed in advance: The Communist Party should step down.

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A Beijing-based newspaper, “Xinjing Bao,” published an investigation last week, which has been stirring up discussion, especially in recent days.

On Monday, a central enterprise, China Grain Reserves Corporation, publicly responded that a system-wide investigation will be conducted, confirming the authenticity of the incident where edible oil was mixed in oil tankers. Hundreds of millions of Chinese netizens have joined the discussion. After several days of silence, CCP’s media also reported on the matter, with an article circulating widely titled “This kind of team is taking consumers’ lives.”

On Tuesday, legal experts suggested criminal liability should be pursued. On July 9th, a legal professional from Shandong, Liu Shuqing, mailed a report to the Public Security Bureau of the CCP, requesting criminal charges for the individuals involved under the crime of “producing and selling toxic and harmful food.” Subsequently, the CCP’s State Council Food Safety Office responded, announcing the establishment of a joint investigation team and timely disclosure of investigation results.

Numerous people were shocked because:

1. The event involved central state-owned enterprises and many major food brands. Netizens are fearful, “From recycled oil to melamine, Sudan Red, various food additives, Laoganma, COFCO, which industry leader hasn’t been involved? Imagine what those small workshops must be like.”

2. Users tracking the travel records of oil tankers found that many vehicles not only mixed edible oil, but also mixed feed and suspected hazardous chemicals.

3. People discovered that almost everyone had consumed such oil. Moreover, the largest clients for bulk oil are schools, including many prestigious Beijing universities: Tsinghua, Peking University, Central Academy of Drama, Beijing Language University, Beijing University of Science and Technology, Chinese People’s Police University, University of International Business and Economics… The renowned internet self-media, “Shou Lou Chu,” was censored by authorities for revealing this truth.

4. What frustrates many is that similar incidents have occurred as early as nearly 20 years ago. The “Nanguo Zaobao” of Guangxi News Net reported in 2005. In 2015, Hunan reporter “Truth Investigation” once again exposed similar events.

5. Over a decade ago, CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that if food safety is not ensured, the legitimacy of governance will be questioned. “Our Party governs China. If we can’t even ensure food safety for a long time, someone will question the legitimacy.”

To be honest, I feel very sad too. In Monday’s “News Everyone Talks About,” host Fuyao wanted to comfort everyone and asked if I could talk about what ordinary people can do to protect themselves. I thought about it and said there’s no way because people in towns and villages can grow their own food and press their own oil, but can you guarantee not eating out at all?

Looking at the bigger picture, China’s food safety issue has persisted for over 20 years, not only remaining unsolved but becoming more pervasive, including the Big Head Doll event in 2003, industrial salt in 2005, Sudan Red in 2006, melamine in 2008, recycled oil in 2010, and the African swine fever outbreak in 2019. Why does the problem persist despite repeated bans?

I summarized that China’s food safety remains unresolved for six key reasons:

In the U.S., the President, Congress members, and the public all eat the same hamburgers and coke. But in China, officials at all levels, including local governments, have their own special food supply bases, require organic cultivation, prohibit GMOs, and even when officials dine out, they only need to pay a token amount. In such a scenario, officials have no motivation to address food safety issues.

This time, after the incident, many people seem to take a bit of pleasure in others’ misfortune, saying that now, aside from high-ranking officials, everyone, regardless of location or social status, is in the same boat. But, don’t be too optimistic. After the incident, the CCP might establish a separate production line in large oil companies for special supply. Previously, Mengniu Dairy admitted openly that milk supplied to Hong Kong and Singapore was from large-scale farms, not adulterated.

Some netizens lamented, “Investigative journalists are almost extinct, and we still cannot eat a bite of safe oil.”

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, investigative journalists in mainland China had a golden age when they identified as the “muckrakers” of the new era.

The “muckraking” movement began in the late 19th century in the United States. At the time, the U.S. was rapidly growing economically, surpassing the U.K. to become the world’s number one, but various scandals were prevalent… Therefore, American investigative journalists demonstrated exceptional skills, writing over 2,000 exposés that truly transformed the nation.

For example, in 1905, investigative journalist Upton Sinclair worked undercover in a Chicago slaughterhouse for nearly two months, producing “The Jungle,” which incited public outrage. One day, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was having breakfast while reading “The Jungle.” When he read about a dead rat being mixed into sausages, he exclaimed and threw the half-eaten sausage out the window. This book led to the U.S. Congress passing the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, making American food and medicine safer since then.

In contrast, why have investigative journalists declined in China? The CCP emphasizes that media belongs to the Party, follows the Party’s directives, and any exposure of the government is contrary to the CCP’s glorification of itself as great and honorable.

One netizen sharply commented, “Who is more despicable: the companies and drivers mixing edible oil with kerosene, or investigative journalists? In the eyes of certain organizations, it seems to be the latter. Otherwise, why are investigative journalists nearly extinct?”

During this period, China has experienced severe flooding in numerous regions. Many people compare this to when previous CCP leaders sometimes put on a show but now even disdain to do that.

Indeed, the power of CCP officials derives from clandestine exchanges with superiors, lacking any compassion for the common people. Their decisions are made to profit themselves, and individual human nature cannot impede the evils of the CCP system.

Once an issue arises, authorities silence dissent, deploying internet trolls to delete posts, engage in name-calling, or manipulate public opinion.

After this incident, some netizens sarcastically mocked, “Japan, you used to strike with seafood, now you’re as quiet as a chicken, probably busy covering up; this obstructs the country’s ‘V.'”

Many may not realize that there are no national standards for the transportation of edible oil in China. The excuses given by officials and industry players, “Mainly from a policy perspective, our country’s food transport industry is still in its early stages of development and needs to encourage free competition in the industry. If mandatory standards for using specialized vehicles for edible oil were introduced, it could spell disaster for non-professional transport fleets.”

Such justifications are feeble. Because the CCP claims they lack funds, fearing ordinary enterprises won’t survive but somehow have resources to build special supply systems for officials. In other countries, subsidies for various legislation and enforcement measures are introduced primarily for public health.

The article “Qinghua Beida Not as Good as Oil Big” by the famous self-media “Shou Lou Chu” was deleted for revealing that some oil tanker companies contracted to China Grain Reserves Corporation were inserted due to bribing former officials, while others were never considered but still illegally subcontracted for transport.

Many have long claimed that there was no corruption in China during Mao Zedong’s era. Interestingly, I recently saw Mao’s instruction regarding the “Beijing Tigercatching Campaign” in 1952, mentioning there were about 400 major tigers already captured or believed to be captured, each valued at over 100 million yuan, with smaller tigers valued over 10 million yuan excluded.

Such systemic, long-term corruption is bound to render laws or regulations virtually meaningless, even if in place.

Former mainland Chinese captain and senior logistics expert @Captain Xue residing in the U.S. stated, “Trucks that transport oil without proper cleaning and are then filled with soybean oil; many people criticize the drivers, forgetting that the primary responsibility lies with the oil extraction plant for shipping without inspecting the transport equipment. This occurred in the north, where local-owned oil extraction plants are based. “Zhangjiagang’s oil extraction plant does not experience such incidents; each truck is inspected before loading, and most plants are foreign-owned. Foreign enterprises have been driven out; everyone is now left to consume these oils.”

After this incident, many people predict that more will flock to Sam’s Club and Costco. Because foreign corporations have strict food standards and monitoring.

However, people should question why the disparity between products in the north and the south exists.

We all know that even with good laws, enforcement is crucial, so moral beliefs are vital. Even without national standards, if moral values are upheld, people would understand not to engage in mixing edible oil with chemicals.

However, the CCP has ruled the mainland for over 70 years, deliberately destroying the moral fabric of the Chinese people to transform them into obedient animals or machines, thus neglecting ethical values.

In recent days, many have brought up the 1987 hepatitis A incident in Shanghai, where 300,000 people were infected due to consuming virus-infected shellfish, primarily sourced through the transport of manure ships in Jiangsu to Shanghai.

Despite economic growth over the years, the CCP continues to suppress various faiths and religions, turning a blind eye to many heinous acts. This refusal to halt such practices has meant that the moral and civilizational advancement of many people has not evolved with economic progress; instead, for the sake of profit, individuals recklessly consume tainted products, harming each other.

Renowned lawyer Zhou Xiaoyun recently questioned why, despite the exposure of mixed oil tankers nearly 20 years ago, the problem has worsened. Zhou, a former journalist for “Nanfang Weekly,” who exclusively exposed the Red Cross Society of China’s Guo Meimei incident, is now a lawyer specializing in economic crime defense and the defense lawyer for Ma Yijia, the female entrepreneur in Liupanshui, Guizhou, involved in the “criminalizing debt” case.

He predicted that although the CCP’s State Council Food Safety Office will establish a joint investigation team to probe thoroughly, the likely outcome, based on his experience as a media person, will be: the few tankers caught violating regulations will be the only ones with the issue, and the rest will be clean. The edible oil from the implicated vehicles will be sealed and destroyed, never entering the market.

Will this happen? I’m not as pessimistic as Lawyer Zhou, who believes that the CCP’s State Council may merely put on a show, introducing legislative changes or claiming to enhance supervision.

However, I also believe the CCP might continue to deceive the public. Over the last few years, the credibility of Central South Seas has been entirely lost, evident in the handling of the Li Wenliang incident, the lack of preparation post-strict lockdowns, vacillating treatment of private enterprises, showcasing a lack of credibility. Ultimately, we must wait and see what the outcome will be.

People might wonder if Xi Jinping will personally issue instructions to resolve the issue? I believe the likelihood is low, and even if he does give a directive, the impact will be limited.

For instance, soon after Xi Jinping issued instructions on the breach in Huarong County, Hunan, officials in Hunan quickly performed patch repairs on the breach.

However, between 28 years leading up to this recent event, Huarong County faced four breaches. After this performance, did the problem get resolved? No, because the reclamation and farming around the lake fundamentally contradict natural laws. While the breach closure was a superficial measure, it did not address the root cause.

Similarly, regarding food safety, Chinese people should learn from their experiences. They should understand that the CCP cares little for their lives, maintaining its special supply system as long as it exists. It will leverage the public’s misfortunes to craft the Party’s “achievements,” continuing to conceal the truth. This time, the reporting from “Xinjing Bao” is but one example and an accident!

That’s all for today’s sharing. Wishing everyone peace and prosperity!

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