In August 2015, a Chinese chemical warehouse explosion killed more than 100 people and
injured over 700.
It was one of the worst industrial disasters in China’s history.
But accidents like this are extremely common.
Just a few weeks prior, a viral video showed a woman in a Chinese mall being trapped and
killed in a malfunctioning escalator.
Both incidents are said to be caused by lax safety regulation.
So why is China’s infrastructure so dangerous?
Well, in the 1970s, as China’s original communist government left power, the economy
was in shambles.
Chinese leaders implemented a series of economic reforms in order to compete with Western dominance.
The new changes were based on mixed economy capitalism, and allowed businesses to expand
rapidly without significant regulation.
This expansion kickstarted a modern industrial revolution leading to nearly 10% growth every
year.
However, like most industrial revolutions, labor laws and safety standards have been
ignored in favor of fast growth and a competitive edge.
Bribery and corruption are rampant, as it is often cheaper to pay off regulators and
fines instead of changing business practices.
The current President has attempted to crack down on corruption, but China has a longstanding
history of cutting corners in government and business that is difficult to overcome.
Since most companies were run by the state until about the 1980s, this corruption has
permeated business culture as well.
One example of this “cutthroat capitalism”, was revealed in 2008.
Several manufacturers had added a poisonous chemical to baby milk to make up for a lack
of protein.
This action resulted in half a dozen infant deaths.
Investigators later blamed company executives, but also noted that government officials contributed
to the tragedy by repressing the story for months in order to save face during the 2008
Beijing Olympics.
Ignoring safety standards has given China a competitive edge in international trade.
But the unprecedented economic growth has come at a high human cost.
The recently destroyed chemical warehouse was not supposed to have been built near residential
areas, yet the building still received a permit.
Now, many work-safety officials are under criminal investigation for this oversight.
Although China intends to stay competitive in the global market, their ethical lapses,
and many safety problems are important issues to solve.
While there appears to be no end in sight to these accidents, China is continuing to
build a supercity at the heart of Beijing.
To learn more about China’s supercity Jing-Jin-Ji, watch this video.
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