After Silence, China Mounts Product Safety PR Offensive

At a news conference last week, Qin Gang, a Foreign Ministry spokesman, uncharacteristically fired back at reporters who asked if he would comment on why the quality of Chinese exports had become an issue of such intense debate worldwide.

"Why don't you tell me?" he said. "If the media made less sensational news, the situation might not be so bad. . . . Chinese exports are at least as safe as U.S. exports -- if not better than them."

In a two-hour session with reporters on Tuesday, a panel of high-ranking officials from five agencies responsible for food safety handed out about 50 pages of information in Chinese and English about specific actions China is taking to overhaul its food and drug safety system. The officials repeatedly assured reporters that China's government is "a responsible government."

In Washington, when the pet-food controversy was growing, Chinese officials met twice with Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), both of whom have been vocal on Chinese import safety issues. The first meeting was in April, when the Food and Drug Administration was attempting to secure visas to send inspectors to China. The FDA inspectors were granted visas shortly after the meeting.

"They responded quickly," Durbin said. "I think they are sensitive to the fact that American consumers are concerned."

China has also hired Patton Boggs, one of the country's largest lobbying firms, for $22,000 a month for counseling on "United States Congressional matters," according to Patton's lobbying filing. The firm declined to comment on its work with China.

Kronick, who has worked in China for 12 years and has advised the central government and various cities on public relations, believes the openness is going a long way to address concerns. "Consumer populations buying those products want to hear someone is taking responsibility, someone is making assurances," he said.

On the other hand, Shi Anbin, an associate professor of media and cultural studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said that trying to turn the tables and focus attention on problems with U.S. products is "not a wise strategy."

"We need to face our own problems rather than pointing an accusing finger at a scapegoat," Shi said. "I believe Chinese officials still need to learn some PR and communication skills."

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, chairman of the Joint Economic Committee, which has been pushing for punitive trade legislation against China, described the execution of the former head of the Chinese food and drug administration and the country's new ban of a chemical that was mixed in toothpaste as "surreal actions."

These "prove that China just doesn't understand the real problems," the New York Democrat said.

Meanwhile, many Chinese companies that have been caught up in the recent recalls because they have produced shoddy products or because they compete with companies that do are taking their cues from the government and scrambling to distance themselves from the scandals. They frequently say it is unfair to treat all Chinese companies like criminal operations.