Infant formula row a reminder of the value of an open society
Stephen Vines says doubt lingers on mainland after melamine cover-up
The best way to understand the real lesson of the baby formula controversy is to go back to its origins, which explains why Hong Kong has to cling as tenaciously as possible to the "two systems" part of the "one country, two systems" arrangement.
In late 2007, the Sanlu baby formula producer started receiving reports that its products were causing serious problems for babies whose kidneys were being damaged. This was caused by the introduction of melamine into the formula as a way of bulking it out and reducing costs.
While parents were growing alarmed, China's official media was busy hailing the success of Sanlu.
The company had suspected for months that its products were tainted before it went public. Supervision was already lax. As a major brand, Sanlu was exempted from tests on its products by national inspection officers.
The company's own investigations confirmed the presence of the illegal chemical in July 2008. It notified the local Shijiazhuang government, as well as its New Zealand joint partner, Fonterra, on August 2.
All this was taking place, of course, in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics. And, instead of ordering a product recall, Shijiazhuang officials decided to cover it up and said measures should be delayed until after the Games. Fonterra, which pushed for a recall, was overruled.