Review of Death By China (2012) by Ann L — 26 Aug 2012

In the same year that the IOC (International Olympics Committee) granted the 2008 Olympics to Beijing based on the promise that China will advance the human rights of its people, the United States Congress, heavily lobbied by corporations, voted to admit China to the WTO (World Trade Organization) on the premise that China will have to adhere to fair trade practices, stop illegal export subsidies, improve working conditions for their workers and that a rising middle class will demand their government to democratize. Just like the failed promises of the Beijing Olympics committee which instead escalated official land grabs, increased imprisonments of dissidents, black jails for petitioners who dared to complain and increased censorship, the vision of the democratization of China after WTO has also been shattered.

The film, Death by China, documents that while multinational corporations' profits soared, the Chinese people are confronted not only with labor abuses but an unprecedented environmental disasters in air, water and soil of gargantuan proportions resulting in cancer villages and premature deaths of millions. At the same time, the average American suffer in job losses, loss of intellectual and technical properties as well as having to be wary of imported poisoned food, toxic toys, failed medical devices, acid rain, etc.

Death by China is a film no one wants to miss in understand the relationship between China and the US and how the people of both countries can work together to help each other.