Further to Han Bo-chengs' (韓柏檉) article about mercury poisoning ("Mercury risks should be assessed," Dec. 29, page 8), sources indicate that China is dumping 150,000 tonnes of mercury in the ocean every year. China's rice is also affected as it uses waste water from chemical plants for irrigation. One village has been reported as not being able to eat its own rice any longer as about one-quarter of the residents have died of cancer, so they now export the rice. The village is located near an aluminum smelting plant.
This contamination is affecting the food chain to the extent that everyone in the world will eventually suffer.
The Chinese built their country from the top down. Americans built theirs from the ground up, knowing that they had to provide good food at a reasonable price. It is necessary to first protect the farming base -- then you can build your country on firm foundations.
China is built on "loose sand" and will implode in a few years. So Taiwan needs to protect its farming base and avoid foodstuffs from China.
I challenge you to publish what China is doing to its people through these practices. If they don't care what happens to their own people, how would they treat Taiwanese if and when they invade?
Mike McKenzie
Missouri
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