Human Rights Violations in China sponsored by American Corportions

Rabbit Hole of American Capitalism 

American Involvement in Chinese Sweatshops

December 5, 2014
Apple’s commercial triumph rests in part on the outsourcing of its consumer electronics production to Asia. Drawing on extensive fieldwork at China’s leading exporter—the Taiwanese owned
Foxconn—the power dynamics of the buyer-driven supply chain are analysed in the context of the national terrains that mediate or even accentuate global pressures. Power asymmetries assure the dominance of Apple in price setting and the timing of product delivery, resulting in intense pressures
and illegal overtime for workers. In global outsourcing, electronics suppliers are compelled to compete against each other to meet rigorous specifications of price, product quality and time-to-market, generating wage pressure as well as health and safety hazards at the factory level while
shaving profit margins.

Foxconn became China’s leading exporter in 2001 following the country’s accession
to the World Trade Organization and further lliberalizationof international trade. It has
maintained this position ever since. Foxconn’s expansion is intertwined with the Chinese state’s development through market reforms, and it has followed the national trajectory from coastal to inland locations in recent years. The underlying cause was that workers are subjected to an oppressive management regime driving them to meet the extreme production demands. Foxconn, Apple and many other multinational corporations, as well as the Chinese have thus far shown little interest in understanding the direct relationship between companies’ purchasing practices and labour problems in the workplace.

Distribution and consumption must continue in perpetuity if profits are to be made and
capital accumulated. Barriers to trade at all levels have to be drastically reduced. In the
twenty-first century, consumer electronics has grown to become one of the leading
global industries, and Chinese labour is central to its development. An ever quicker
and newer product release, accompanied by shorter product finishing time, places new
pressures on outsourced factory workers in the Apple production network. At the workplace level, very short delivery times imposed by Apple and other multinational corporations make it difficult for suppliers to comply with legal overtime limits. Price pressures lead firms to compromise workers’ health and safety and the provision of a decent living wage. The absence of fundamental labour rights within the global production regime driven by Apple and its principal supplier Foxconn have become a central concern for Chinese rural migrant workers, who are at the core of the most rapidly growing sector of the new industrial working class.

At present, the vast labour force at Foxconn and many workplaces are striving to expand
social and economic rights, bypassing the state- and management-controlled unions. A
new generation of workers, above all rural migrant workers, is standing up to defend
their dignity and rights. However, executives at both Foxconn and workers’ direct actions have been perceived by executives at both Foxconn and Apple as so threatening to social stability that government and employers have been forced to grant certain policy concessions and propose higher minimum wages, despite attempts to forgo this eventual outcome. The Chinese state is also seeking to raise domestic consumption and hence living standards, in part in major response to the struggle of aggrieved workers and farmers. Apple and Foxconn now find themselves in a limelight that challenges their corporate images and symbolic capital, Hence requiring at least lip service in support of progressive labour policy reforms. But for the time being, new generations of Chinese workers are still being kept in the shadow of American and Chinese mmonopolisticcorporations, suffering many human rights violations as stated by the World Trade Organization in their support of labour unions in China and overall democratic practices throughout the world.

Ultimately what is at risk is dignity and respect of one should show his fellow man. While the State is responsible for the safety and treatment of its people, The allowance of such mistreatment shouldn't be taken advantage or proactively perpetuated by another, especially in consideration to the human cost, overshadowed by financial gain and consumerism. The facts still remain that as long as the current system of market liberalization exists between Chinese and American corporations, it will be in the best interest of profit margins for American corporations to manage this abusive system until some external force threatens a change. In my opinion, the positives of such a system can never justify the negatives.

All You Need To Know About Melamine

Keywords: Adulteration is a process in which food or beverage is made impure or weaker in some aspect of content by adding something of poor quality

What is melamine?

Melamine is an organic base chemical that consists nearly 70 percent of nitrogen in its mass and has fire retardant properties due to its release of nitrogen gas when burned, thus has many industrial uses when combined with formaldehyde to produce melamine resin, which is a synthetic polymer. Commonly, melamine is produced from urea.  

What is melamine generally used for?

Melamine is widely used in protein adulterations, especially in Chinese markets, plastics for dishware, whiteboards, and laminate flooring, and adhesives for the fabrication of high-resistance concrete. 

Why was melamine added into milk and powdered infant formula

China, being world's largest exporter of melamine, found a use as an adulterant for feedstock and milk products in mainland China because melamine can make diluted or poor quality material appear to be high in protein content by elevating the total nitrogen content. As a result, food products pass safety protocols due to the increase of apparent protein content since the test equate nitrogen level to protein content. 

Addition of melamine into food is not approved by the FAO/WHO Codex for food standard commission due to its high risk of toxicity, especially in the case of usage in infant powdered formula. 

Where has melamine been found in other food products?

The issue of melamine use in food products came to light in 2007, when pet food manufacturers saw a trend of illnesses and deaths in some animals that had eaten melamine containing food. The discovery of severe kidney damage to pets resulted in several food recalls after the USFDA traced the melamine back to exporters from China. 

In the present, melamine is still allowed in food and milk products because following the 2008 China milk scandal where over 50,000 infants were hospitalized and six were killed, international agencies saw to the steep regulating of melamine in food. To date, melamine is often used in food packaging, tableware, and insecticide throughout the world so food containing melamine is a sure thing. Many food regulation agencies have ensured that all composite products containing at least 15 percent of milk product, originating from China, be systematically tested before importation and that all such products over that percent by immediately destroyed. 

What are the health effects of melamine consumption in humans?

Many health complications that arise from the consumption of melamine involve the failure of the kidneys as melamine crystallize resulting in blockage of the small tubes in the kidneys potentially stopping the production of urine. If not resolved, this condition will lead to kidney failure and, in some cases, death. While there are no direct human studies on the effect of melamine, many inferences have been made regarding data from animal studies used to predict adverse health effects. Where the data departs with human predictions, melamine alone has a unique carcinogenic effect in animals in certain circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to make a conclusion if that carcinogenic risk extends to humans. 

What are the symptoms and signs of melamine poisoning?

Toxicity of melamine is moderated by intestinal microbes, so ranging from acute to chronic exposure, symptoms can vary widely. Common patterns are identifiable: Eye, skin, and respiratory irritant,blood in urine, no urine, signs of kidney infection, and high blood pressure.

What is the treatment for kidney stones and kidney failure?

Patients may receive various types of treatment, depending on the severity of the kidney effects. Treatment targets to prevent further development of acute renal failure. Urine alkalinization and stone liberalization have been reported as the most effective treatments in humans. Other options include: infusion of fluids, correction of electrolyte and acid-base disturbance, peritoneal dialysis, or surgical removal of kidney stones.

Mining Operations of Antimony in China

Antimony Ore: Stibnite

Native Antimony

Characteristics:

Antimony is a chemical element with symbol Sb and atomic number 51. A lustrous gray metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite, which is the predominant ore mineral that has a Mohs scale hardness of 3. Thus pure antimony is too soft to make hard objects. Antimony is stable in air at room temperature, but reacts with oxygen if heated and is resistant to attack by acids. The abundance of antimony in the Earth’s crust is estimated at 0.35 parts per million. Even though his element is not abundant, it is found in over 100 mineral species.

Production and Mining:

China has been the largest producer of antimony and its compounds, with most production coming from the Xikuangshan Mine in Hunan province, which holds an estimated deposit of 2.1 million metric tons.
Import Sources (2006–09): Metal: China, 68%; Mexico, 14%; Peru, 8%; and other, 10%. Ore and concentrate: Bolivia, 59%; China, 28%; and other, 13%. Oxide: China, 53%; Mexico, 32%; Belgium, 8%; and other, 7%. Total: China, 56%; Mexico, 28%; Belgium, 7%; and other, 9%.

Antimony production in 2010
Country	Tonnes	% of total
People’s Republic of China	120,000	88.9
South Africa	3,000	2.2
Bolivia	3,000	2.2
Russia	3,000	2.2
Tajikistan	2,000	1.5
Top 5	131,000	97.0
Total world	135,000	100.0

In its metallic metal state, antimony doesn't affect human and environmental health. However, the inhalation of antimony dust is considered harmful and suspected of causing cancer. The effects are hypothesized to be attributed to inhalation leading to impaired lung clearance, lung overload, inflammation and ultimately tumor formation. Antimony chlorides are corrosive to skin. Prolonged skin contact with antimony dust may cause dermatitis.

Application:

The estimated distribution of antimony uses was as follows: flame retardants at 35%, batteries at 23%, chemicals at 16%, ceramics and glass at 12% and others at 14%. 

Another use is as a stabilizer and a catalyst for the production of synthetic fibers. Another application is to serve as a fining agent to remove microscopic bubbles in glass, mostly for TV screens. The third major application is the use as pigment for making bullets and bullet tracers. . Increasingly coming to use, antimony is being used in the semiconductor industry as a dopant. 

For biological or medical applications exist for antimony. Antimony compounds are used as antiprotozoal drugs and anti-schistosomal drugs, which is used as a skin conditioner. Antimony has a nourishing or conditioning effect on keratinized tissues, at least in animals.

Trends:

 In March, the Government stated it would not approve any new projects for antimony; also, the Government shut down about hundred antimony smelters in China’s dominant antimony-producing region, an action aimed at closing illegal mines and curbing pollution. Both actions caused reductions in production. Because of this, the price of antimony rose substantially during 2010. At the start of the year, antimony sold at $2.90 per pound and by the end of the year sold for about $5.25 per pound. In response, several new antimony mine projects sprung up in Australia, Canada, and Laos because many countries don’t possess stockpiles. 

Antimony was identified as one of 12 critical raw materials for the EU in a report published in 2011, primarily due to the lack of supply outside China. 

Elevations of Mainland China

Elevations of Mainland China

Provinces of Mainland China

Figure 1: The Thirty-Two Administrative Divisions of Mainland China

The People's Republic of China or Zhōngguó is a sovereign stated located in Far East Asia with a population of over 1.35 billion. The PRC is a socialist republic governed by a one-party system. It exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four city-municipalities, and two self governing special administrative regions. In total, the PRC claims governorship over 34 divisions. 

Province or Shěng composes majority of Mainland China, governed by a committee of the Communist Party, headed by a secretary, then comes a governor to act in terms like a state level of a national system of government. However, the PRC claims governorship over the island of Taiwan and its surrounding islets. 

Direct-controlled municipality or  Zhíxiáshì is a political entangled city under the direct control of the Chinese government, similarly to that of Washington D.C. Yet, not like Washington D.C., these municipality share equal status with provinces or states, but hold more political relevance or sway. 

Autonomous region or  Zìzhìqū is a subdivision of China, where unlike provinces, has more legislative rights due to overall negligence by the Party. An autonomous region is a minority entity has a higher population of a particular minority ethic group which has been the justification for negligence by the Party.

Special administrative region or  Tèbié xíngzhèngqū is highly autonomous and self-governing , but not fully independent sub-national subject of the PRC. Hong Kong and Macus are the only two SAR and don't possess sovereignty because as foreign and military entities, they are held to the responsibility of the central government of the PRC.