They make some good points here… I get the impression a lot of people in Eastern countries don’t like the pollution/environment damage that the factories cause but they can’t afford to walk away from the foreign investors…
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/25/nation/20070625141705&sec=nation
SINGAPORE: Asian business and government leaders accused rich countries of hypocrisy, saying they run polluting industries with cheap labor in China and then blame the country for worsening global warming and climate change.
“This is green imperialism,” Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Malaysia’s Second Finance Minister, told a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, a two-day conference in Singapore.
A Chinese aviation tycoon told the discussion that the West was the original polluter, while an American businessman noted that Asia’s energy consumption is relatively disproportionate to its contribution to the world economy.
But all participants agreed that instead of fixing blame, the problem should be solved internationally and with private sector participation.
“Companies that are polluting in China are owned by American, European, Japanese and others. They are benefiting from the cheap labor, from the resources and at the same time accusing China of pollution,” said Nor Mohamed.
