Before this it was the tainted milk scandal. Thousands of infants suffered, some died, from prolonged ingestion of the chemical that was added to milk formula by nefarious individuals in a scheme to cut costs and eek out a little more profit.   

Earlier this year, the world realized that children everywhere might be unwrapping toys this Christmas that were painted with a date rape drug, or worse. Some Chinese toy makers, it seemed, were painting their products with whatever they had lying around. After a brief investigation, I believe the government’s new regulations were worded something like this: Don't paint toys with date rape drugs, this makes other countries very angry.  

The overheated housing market saw rampant speculation, then a subsequent ‘downturn’ because prices were too inflated. Regulations to limit the buying have since been followed by regulations to encourage buying.   

The tragedy of the Sichuan earthquake was much worse that it should have been thanks to shoddy building construction, particularly in schools. There were minimal codes in place, but builders have a way of skirting those. This time the answer was more regulations with a healthy sprinkling of 'severe punishments’. Too late for the thousands of dead children, however.  

Ahead of the Beijing Olympics, the authorities announced reduced car days. Almost half of Beijing's cars were pulled off the roads on alternating days based on their license plate numbers. The measures worked and traffic became bearable. New regulations since then now take cars off the road just one day a week. "The new government measures will effectively reduce congestion on the city's streets," we were told. Tell that to a Beijing cab driver and watch the laughter ensue. A Chinese co-worker of mine, who also works for the government, has managed to obtain a piece of paper from her boss that exempts her from the rules. Apparently, the boss has handed out these “keep on driving” passes out to numerous other employees.   

Weeks ahead of the Olympics, the Chinese government trumpeted the fact that smoking would no longer be allowed in government buildings. In one sweeping move, Chinese workers would become health conscious. I work in one of those buildings. Six months after the introduction of the new regulations, I can still barely see down the corridor in front by my office because of the permanent halo generated by my smoking coworkers. Not only are the regulations not enforced, building managers even provide ashtrays for all these nicotine-addled souls. They understand what most everyone else here also realizes: No one takes government rules too seriously because there is always a way around them. The reason is simple - there is no proper enforcement. 

The list of similar stories is long and getting longer.  

I get a daily reminder of Chinese government regulations and their general lack of effectiveness every time I walk out of my apartment building. Almost a year after it was opened, the new road in front of my building has become a parking lot. Motorists actually use it and the bicycle lanes and sidewalks on either side of it for parking. It is absolutely crammed with cars. Sometimes they just leave there cars right in the middle of traffic. It's become a parking circus. Ironically, there are easily half a dozen available parkades within in a two block radius. Parking is not only allowed on this street, it is encouraged. ‘Parking attendants’ even charge for the privilege. Walking on this street has become a life or death exercise. I don't know what the body count is at this point, but I'm sure it's rising. All this goes on, of course, under the watchful gaze of the local police. Keep in mind this isn’t happening in some remote 3^rd tier city where yaks roam freely. This is happening in the nation’s capital, in the prestigious Central Business District. I haven't actually read Beijing’s parking laws, but I am assuming that using bike lanes and sidewalks as parking lots for Mercedes and BMWs is 'officially' frowned upon.   

Whether it’s quality of life issues or life and death issues, the ongoing lack of enforcement undermines the best interests of the Chinese public and their government. If they aren't already, the authorities should be concerned. The roots of these problems, in my estimation, don't always stem from ineffective regulations. Neglect, corruption, contempt, apathy, a lack of proper enforcement and/or general disregard were all factors that compromised China’s food chain. Chinese government officials sometimes become incensed when foreign governments or consumers don't take seriously their latest announcement of a new bunch of regulations designed to stem the latest crisis or embarrassing scandal. Next time, as the authorities chest-thump their latest set of rules, they should also think about how those rules will be enforced.

There's always room for one more...

Trouble in parking paradise...