By Dan Parker
China has executed two of the men at the heart of the melamine milk scandal.
Despite this, the Government maintains there has been no lasting damage to Fonterra, which was caught up in the fraud.
“It is absolutely clear that the Chinese leadership do not blame Fonterra and do not blame New Zealand for this scandal,” says Trade Minister Tim Groser.
However, Amnesty International says both our government and Fonterra should protest to the Chinese about the executions.
Geng Jinping and Zhang Yujun were executed last night by lethal injection for their part in the milk powder fraud that resulted in the death of six children and hospitalisation of 30,000 others.
They had a part in producing and selling the melamine-laced milk powder to 22 companies.
In all, 22 people were tried and sentenced over the scandal, including Sanlu’s general manager.
But despite being forced to write off a $100 million investment, no one from Fonterra was interested in commenting on camera about the latest events.
They did release the following statement though.
“The whole incident has been a terrible tragedy. The two men concerned did not work for Sanlu. These were people who set out deliberately to contaminate milk in China involving up to 22 different milk companies. As a result of this the Chinese government has put in place regulations that will hopefully ensure this will never happen again.”
Amnesty International has called on the Government and Fonterra, which still has significant investment in China, to condemn the executions.
“They have said they will import the best practices her from New Zealand into China. Well we are very strongly suggesting to them that they need to export New Zealand human rights practices at the same time,” says Margaret Taylor of Amnesty International NZ.
The Government says China’s capital punishment policy sits uncomfortably with its own views, but the economic superpower has now over taken America as our second biggest trading partner.
3 News