We need a continuously healthy consumer market
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China celebrated its 23rd Consumer Rights Day on Monday. As one of the biggest consumer markets in the world, all major countries value and compete in the Chinese market. But some domestic companies are harming consumer rights to gain short-term benefits. In some cases the consumers' health and lives are severely harmed by poor quality. In this sense, the market is rather vulnerable.
During the financial crisis, some countries raised trade barriers for China, and the number of trade conflicts increased, worsening the international market. The government is calling for restructuring the economic development pattern. The domestic market has becomes more important now.
Thus we should treasure and foster a healthy domestic market for the good of consumers and China's economy. When consumers can spend their money without too many worries in a healthy market, which will be more active, production and operation will improve and the restructuring of development can be realized.
Statistics cannot reflect the condition of a market. Consumers will show how healthy the market is. For example, if cowpeas grown in some provinces decay, you can choose not to buy them. But if rice is tainted, you have no choice but to buy imported rice. A single case of cheating in a certain place may not hurt the whole country. But the market can be damaged if other companies follow the bad model to gain profit.
The government must intensify its efforts in two aspects to build a healthy domestic market. It should put more effort into cracking down on illegal market behavior by raising the costs of crime. It should also work harder to protect consumer rights with policies that offer domestic consumers the best services and products. The protection of consumer rights can only be realized through efforts all year round instead of just one day's celebration. Then they will love to consume in China. As a result, our economy and development will run well.
(This blog was first published in Chinese and translated by Ren Zhongxi.)
