China executes 2 for role in tainted milk scandal

Wednesday 25th November, 05:00 AM JST

BEIJING —

China executed a dairy farmer and a milk salesman Tuesday for their roles in the sale of contaminated baby formula—severe punishments that Beijing hopes will assuage public anger, reassure importers and put to rest one of the country’s worst food safety crises.

The men were the only people put to death in a scheme to boost profits by lacing milk powder with the industrial chemical melamine; 19 other people were convicted and received lesser sentences. At least six children died after drinking the adulterated formula, and more than 300,000 were sickened.

Beijing is eager to show it has responded swiftly and comprehensively to eliminate problems in its food production chain that have spawned protests at home and threatened its export-reliant economy. The milk powder contamination struck a nerve with the public because so many children were affected, but was only one in a series of product recalls and embarrassing disclosures of lax public health safeguards.

Melamine, which is used to make plastics and fertilizers, has also been found added to pet food, eggs and fish feed, although not in levels considered dangerous to humans. The chemical, which like protein is high in nitrogen, fooled inspectors. It can cause kidney stones and kidney failure.

China has tightened regulations and increased inspections on producers and exporters in cooperation with U.S. officials, who have noted a drop in the number of product recalls on Chinese exports.

But Beijing continues to struggle to regulate small and illegally run operations, often blamed for introducing chemicals and additives into the food chain. The country has 450,000 registered food production and processing enterprises, but many—about 350,000—employ just 10 people or fewer. The U.N. said in a report last year that the small enterprises present many of China’s greatest food safety challenges.

Zhang Yujun, the farmer, was executed for endangering public safety, and Geng Jinping for producing and selling toxic food, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

Much of the phony protein powder that Zhang and Geng produced and sold ended up at the defunct Sanlu Group Co, at the time one of China’s biggest dairies.

Xinhua said an announcement of the execution had been issued by the Shijiazhuang Municipal Intermediate People’s Court, although a court clerk who answered the phone Tuesday said he was unable to confirm the sentences had been carried out. Most executions in China are performed by firing squad.

Of the others tried and sentenced in January in the scandal, Sanlu’s general manager, Tian Wenhua, was given a life sentence after pleading guilty to charges of producing and selling fake or substandard products.

Three other former Sanlu executives were given between five years and 15 years in prison.

There was outrage after news spread of the doctored milk in September 2008, both because of the extent of the contamination and allegations that the government prevented the news from breaking until after the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The cover-up accusations were never publicly investigated, and authorities have since harassed and detained activist parents pushing lawsuits demanding higher compensation and the punishment of government officials. Families were offered a one-time payout—ranging from of 2,000 yuan ($293) to 200,000 yuan ($29,000), depending on the severity of the case—to not pursue lawsuits.

Tuesday’s executions brought some comfort to Li Xinquan, who lost one of her 8-month-old twin daughters who was fed with melamine-tainted formula from Sanlu. Li has campaigned to force authorities to admit negligence and provide fair compensation.

“They deserved it. This is the punishment they have received from the government,” said Li, whose other daughter survived because she was breast fed.

Another parent, Wang Zhenping, also voiced satisfaction with the executions, reflecting strong support for the death penalty in China, which executes more people annually than the rest of the world combined.

Wang, who said his 2-year-old son appeared to have recovered from melamine poisoning, rejected the compensation offer and said he was growing weary of the struggle.

“I feel like it doesn’t really matter now,” he said.

U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said last month that Beijing has made progress in increasing product safety.

The numbers of consumer recalls of toys imported from China had fallen from more than 80 in fiscal 2008 to about 40 in fiscal 2009, Tenenbaum said.

“Chinese suppliers and U.S. importers are now on notice from both governments that it is a mistake to depend on good intentions and a few final inspections to ensure compliance with safety requirements,” she told a conference in Beijing.

› Login to comment

8 Comments

Yelnats at 12:21 PM JST - 25th November

Melamine, which is used to make plastics and fertilizers, has also been found added to pet food, eggs and fish feed

How do they put it in the eggs?
kokorocloud at 12:57 PM JST - 25th November

Yelnats-- My guess is either through chicken feed or they could spray them with it or something. The shells of bird eggs are pretty pourous, if I'm remembering correctly.

I can't imagine how the parents of those babies must feel...
illsayit at 01:40 PM JST - 25th November

Why the farmer? He just pulls the milk right, like has cows and stuff. And why the salesman-except for that he probably promoted the product. Processing it for sale is in the hands of others. This smells of a huge cover-up, and that they just killed anyone to say that the issue has been dealt with. Id also be quite suspicious of Li Xinquan, and her statements, and I wonder 'who' she is that her opinion matters anyway. We wont even discuss death penalty issues, ne.
combinibento at 01:50 PM JST - 25th November

Tian Wenhua, was given a life sentence after pleading guilty to charges of producing and selling fake or substandard products.

HA! Oh man this means they would have to lock up almost everyone who has ever run a business in that country...
HonestDictator at 02:22 PM JST - 25th November

Death penalties only to satisfy the bloodlust of the people? Wrong reason for an execution. Life in prison without parole would have been more logical IMO.

Good to see that China is waking up a bit more to their need for serious quality control on their products. Quality not quantity, keep that in mind China.
illsayit at 03:15 PM JST - 25th November

Logical if it is for the correct perpetrator. Also the terming substandard is really vague. Whose standards are we aiming for? Im sure mine would be diffrent to most. So how are the cow standards? What is required if I want to be a milk farmer in China? I dont see China waking up.
numbskull at 03:30 PM JST - 25th November

severe punishments that Beijing hopes will assuage public anger, reassure importers and put to rest one of the country’s worst food safety crises.

Pretty heinous charges against Beijing! These are not why you execute people even if you are barbaric enough to think life in prison is not enough!
usaexpat at 06:01 AM JST - 26th November

That's all fine if we are really sure that these guys aren't scapegoats. The PRC will do anything to keep the economy going and if executing a couple of guys is expedient well then that's their misfortune.