A massive food-safety scandal over the “open industry secret” of using fuel tanker-trucks to transport cooking oil and other edible products—without the tankers being washed or sanitized in between—is still generating a flood of attention from the Chinese public, not to mention from government and platform censors. State media outlet Beijing News broke the story earlier this month, and new revelations continue to surface. As the Chinese Communist Party commenced its Third Plenum in Beijing this week, a new report from business and finance publication Caixin revealed that China’s waterborne cooking-oil tankers are also endangering public health and safety by shipping chemicals and fuel. Caixin reporters Bao Zhiming, Wang Xintong, Zhou Ziyun, and Ding Yi reported on the controversial maritime practice:
Several industry insiders told Caixin that it’s common for ships to transport both cooking oil and non-edible oils that could be toxic to humans. And while the vessels are cleaned between voyages, it may not be thorough enough, and cleanliness certificates provided by third-party service providers could be fake, the sources said.
On Thursday, the captain of a ship that specializes in transporting edible oils told a prospective customer that the vessel sometimes carries chemical oils and diesel fuel, Caixin has learned.
[…] However, it’s now harder for shippers to engage in such misconduct, the captain said.
Since early this month, grain and oil companies have been checking their operations to see if their oil has been transported by vessels used to ship other liquids, and water transport authorities have tightened requirements for providing proof of the cargo they are carrying, the captain said.
“It’s not easy to muddle through now,” he said, adding that whereas they used to be able to get a fake sterilization certificate for no more than 3,000 yuan ($414), it now costs over 10,000 yuan.
In addition, “many edible oil ships are reluctant to take orders for other cargoes,” the captain said, although he said that “if someone is willing to pay double the freight, we have the means to deal with those cargoes as well.” [Source]
This latest food safety scandal has shaken consumers’ faith in industry and government regulatory authorities, and caused many to question why food safety scandals seem to occur with such regularity in China. Some have noted the relative laxity of food safety oversight measures in comparison to more stringent oversight in other, less critical industries. CDT’s Quote of the Day comes in the form of a question posed by Weibo user @讲话很机车 (jiǎnghuà hěn jīchē, “drones on and on”), who contrasted the adulterated cooking-oil scandal with a recent announcement from the China Film Administration on tighter censorship rules for all Chinese films—including shorts—being shown at overseas film festivals:
“Why is food safety oversight so lax, but film censorship so strict?” [Chinese]
The China Film Administration (CFA) announcement reiterated some existing regulations—for example, that films must receive CFA approval before being screened at overseas film festivals—while adding some new ones. The most notable new regulation is that now short films will have to receive approval before being allowed to participate in overseas film festivals. In the past, short films fell into something of a gray area, and were rarely vetted by CFA before heading to festivals or screenings abroad. An essay posted to WeChat account 北电考研局 (Běidiàn kǎoyánjú, “Beijing Film Academy Research Bureau”) explains the new regulations and showcases some quotes about China’s dysfunctional censorship system from well-known directors such as Tian Zhuangzhuang, Jia Zhangke, and others. The essay mentions one short LGBTQ+-themed film that would have been impossible to make in China as a full-length film, and describes how short films have emerged as a genre offering Chinese directors greater freedom of expression:
Why did the National Film Administration suddenly increase its scrutiny of short films participating in overseas film festivals and exhibitions? Because in recent years, short films have gradually become a new outlet for Chinese-language films at global film festivals.
[…] In 2022, unfortunately, not a single Chinese-language full-length feature film was included in any of the competition categories at Cannes. In contrast, six Chinese-language short films were screened at Cannes in 2022: two of them were in the main competition, and all were from outstanding directors or won major awards.
[…] The biggest question now is what will happen to directors and producers if they screen their films at overseas festivals without the “Dragon Seal” of approval. Young directors are the future of Chinese film—what kind of future is possible if many of them are banned?
Regarding full-length feature films, just take a look at what happened to two Chinese “sixth-generation” directors this year in Cannes and Berlin [referring to directors Lou Ye and Wang Xiaoshuai]. But it remains to be seen what the punishments will be for [unapproved] short films. [Chinese]
Increased scrutiny of short films could have a chilling effect on Chinese directors and film producers. The stakes are already high, with increased scrutiny, harassment, and even arrests of independent filmmakers in China. In January of this year, documentary director Chen Pinlin was arrested for his film “Urumqi Middle Road,” which featured footage from the nationwide “White Paper Protests” that took place in late 2022. He is currently being held in the Baoshan Detention Centre in Shanghai on charges of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” and may face five years in prison if convicted. Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and other organizations have condemned Chen’s arrest and called for his immediate release. Chen’s documentary “Urumqi Middle Road” is also being screened worldwide by those who support his work as a filmmaker and want to help amplify calls for his release.
