What’s Behind China’s Sudden Crackdown on Food Waste
Xi's "empty plates" campaign only makes sense if China’s leadership thinks there will be an even greater shock to the global trading system in the months ahead.
People in a hot pot restaurant in Chengdu Credit: Kristoffer Trolle, Creative Commons
Just as consumers began returning to restaurants for their first meals in months, Chinese leader Xi Jinping began a campaign of austerity, ordering all of China to reduce its “wasteful eating and drinking.” It was a surprising command given that most of the rest of the world’s governments are relying on vast stimulus packages to help them scramble from the deep economic hole left by Covid-19.
From an economic perspective, the move makes almost no sense. It’s counter-productive to the effort to revive the still reeling consumer economy in China. Assuming China’s leaders know this, what might really be going on?
It would make more sense if China is anticipating some event — like the possible reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump in November — that would further destabilize the global trading system in the months ahead, threatening China’s supply of imported food.
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