EU-made shoes destroyed by China's market watchdog
(Xinhua)Updated: 2006-12-30 10:33
The imported shoes were priced between 1,500 yuan (190 U.S. dollars) to 2,500 yuan (320 U.S. dollars) on average, three times as much as locally made ones.
Zhong Hongsheng, Director of the WTO Research Institute of Zhejiang Wanli Business School, said destroying EU imports that did not pass quality inspection complied with the rules of the WTO.
"As the world economy becomes increasingly integrated, consumers should no longer blindly follow foreign brand names," he said.
Buying foreign, especially high fashion, products has evolved into a growing trend among China's expanding middle class. Almost all world famous brand names such as Gucci and Prada have set up franchise stores in China.
EU-made shoes have long been viewed as the pinnacle of fine quality so news of their destruction in Zhejiang has sparked debate among Chinese consumers.
On a chat-room of netease.com, more than 350 comments have been made. One netizen asked why local authorities had destroyed the shoes. "Why didn't they allow import firms to ask for refunds? Who paid for their losses?"
Another comment reads, "Well done. Crack down on lawbreaking merchants."
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