The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[oldberkeley]

There is plenty of evidence of rushed efforts. Wang Yulan, a 56-year old retiree, moved into her new city-built apartment in a 33-floor Chongqing tower three months ago and immediately found a broken cupboard hinge, leak stains on both sides of her short foyer and badly misaligned window sills.

If I was Ms. Yang, I'd be worried about much more than hinges and window sills.

For some strange reason, I used to have the illogical notion that China kept the good stuff for itself and exported the crap.

However, their numerous building collapses and last week's story confirming that July's gruesome high-speed rail crash was caused by major flaws in train operating equipment are further reminders that deliberately shoddy, unsafe, unreliable, third-rate materials and products are not just foisted off on the ignorant laowai.

No one is safe.