Boycott China
Image:tibettruth
Have you noticed just how many things are manufactured in Communist China? A vast array of cheap merchandise is exported to the west, particularly toys, and ‘Made in China’ is now commonplace on shelves in every sort of store. Yet how many of us are aware of the often harrowing conditions under which such products are made? Do we realise that many innocent looking toys have been produced through slave labour, and that beyond the barbed wire workers in Communist China have no employment rights, are denied free speech, or the right to withdraw their labour.
When we buy goods manufactured in Communist China we are innocently contributing to a system that imprisons any who speak out and uses torture and the death penalty to suppress any dissent of democratic expression. To buy anything made in China is to take trade away from countries that value democratic principles civil, political and labour rights. In fact through our purchase we are sponsoring a form of fascism where oppression and tyranny is mixed with capitalism. Yet as consumers we have a tremendous potential to influence and send a forceful message to the Chinese Regime by choosing to boycott all goods made in Communist China.
As a contribution to the Direct Economic Action called for by the Rangzen Alliance we ask that you try one of more of the following steps to support this initiative:
Sign The Pledge Not To Buy ‘Made In China’ buyhard.net46.net/pledgebook.htm
Try to buy only goods manufactured in the USA, there are a number of recommended sources online including: www.usab2c.com/
If you cannot find an item produced in the United States choose goods made in democratic countries, ask stores if they have any goods from countries such as India, Bangladesh, South Korea or from European Union States.
Printout our poster Boycott China and display in public places. such as libraries, coffee-shops, book stores and community centers, or share it with friends on Facebook, Twitter or other social networks.
For great hints and advice on boycotting Chinese goods get a copy of ‘A Year Without Made In China’
Available Here
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30 Responses to Boycott China
Song
February 27, 2010 at 10:56 pm
On your next revised poster please add Canada as one of the democratic countries who produce goods. We need a better relationship with our neighboring countries. Thank you.
tibettruth
February 27, 2010 at 11:50 pm
A good point, there are many alternatives, those listed in the post are not an exclusive list.
Cate
July 22, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Very good points here. I do have an issue with boycotts in that they impact on innocent people who need the work . Should we also call for a boycott on things made in India, Vietnam, Bangladesh as well, since there clear human rights abuses going on in these countries. Time will take trade away from China as wages increase and labourers demand better working condtions.
I believe in buying locally and support local producers, the quality is better and I’m giving something back to the community whther it’s USA, Canada, Costa Rica etc.
Thanks for raising this very crucial point.
tibettruth
July 22, 2010 at 10:36 pm
While no nation is free entirely of injustice and violations, communist China’s tyranny, including its mass programs of forcible sterilizations, is of a magnitude and nature far beyond the troubling trecords of other nations, as for innocent people yes that may be partially true, but the purchase of a products made in China’s slave labor camps cannot go unchallenged and promoting ethical consumerism is one of a number of actions, including buying local produce. Thanks for your support.
Talataki
July 23, 2010 at 8:43 am
In the beginnign of this week, I) have writen an article on my Blog in German about that too!
I have very good book recommandation for this topic: Sara Bongiorni – A year without Made in China
I try to avoid to buy Made in China wherever i can, but it really is very difficult to avoid everything! But it is possible!
FREE TIBET
tibettruth
July 23, 2010 at 1:08 pm
Thank you for supporting the boycott and for the very helpful suggestion
Talataki
July 23, 2010 at 1:18 pm
By the way it’s found here: talataki.com/category/freies-tibet-free-tibet/
Chris Sills
August 27, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I hope and pray that Tibet AND China will one day become free. I have deep metta for innocent Chinese people, and have no bad feeling towards them, however we HAVE to make a stand, we who care. A lot of China’s recent growth is based on the west outsourcing manufacturing to them, but you MUST try to be aware, goods have a price, if the monetary price is far cheaper than the norm, the remainder must still be paid in other ways, either in quality, or ethical and moral considerations. For a Buddhists a temporary boycott of China’s goods seem to be one very peaceful and skillfull way of making your voice heard, along with explaining to friends/family your views, and lobbying your local and national MPs A lot of China’s government seems to me to be completely uninterested in making decisions based on personal freedom, religion, humanity, or ethical considerations so we must speak out in a language they understand. A final point, I am aware that governments make decisions all the time that are not actually supported by the general populous, I for example, am completely against the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan yet the world might think that all English people are in support, this is NOT the case. Of course I live in a country that allows personal views, but in my heart I hope that the peoples of China feel similar about their governments policy re Tibet.
May all beings be happy and create abundant causes for future happiness, may no being suffer in any way, and create no causes for even the slightest suffering, may I see the day when HH Dalai Lama can return to a free Tibet, and may Tibetans and Chinese come together once again like the brothers and sisters that they are. Chris Sills, Letchworth Garden City, England
Scott Dickerson
January 26, 2012 at 3:16 pm
Thank you. How to to be supportive of those suffering at the hands of those in power in China? Even as I grasp for boycotting chineese products as a way to help, I find myself wondering how many ordinary citizens will suffer before those in power are touched at all by my actions. To not cause suffering is my first goal. To relieve suffering in others is so much more complicated. I probably just think it through too much, but when you play it out in your mind I become unsure of this course of action. Maybe instead of trying to boycott china, I’ll try to look for ways to more directly support those who are targets of the state. But how would one do that?
tibettruth
January 26, 2012 at 4:10 pm
Well while you meditate on the suffering of all beings, and contemplate the infinite web of cause and effect, we shall be continuing to ask folks to consider, as just one strand of action, choosing to shop ethically by avoiding when/where possible China’s slave-labor goods
Duncan
November 3, 2010 at 12:53 pm
I support the boycott. However your article reads more like it is railing against communism, through your repeated use of the phrase “Communist China”.
tibettruth
November 3, 2010 at 1:17 pm
We have edited your reply as your comments somewaht miss the point of the original post, we were not inviting a discussion on the meaning of communism, or if the rarified ideals of communism are correctly associated with China, As is obvious this post is about boycotting goods from communist China, on the basis of ethical consumerism and genuine concerns regarding communist China’s horrifying record of human rights abuses and violent oppression of occupied Tibet and East Turkestan. We appreciate and respect you may possess socialist sympathies, perhaps you value the ideals of communism’s founding fathers, whatever the case China defines itself as a socialiist state and is run by a communist regime. Using the term ‘communist China’ is therefore simply stating a fact.
Duncan
November 3, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Wow. You edited my reply. But you used up more space with your explanation of why you edited it then my full reply would have filled.
Maybe you just don’t like debate. Hey… that sounds a little like “Communist China”, doesn’t it?!
tibettruth
November 3, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Yes we wished to detail why your post was considered not relevant to the central issue of the subject featured in our post, we did feature your main point and responded accordingly. We shall ignore the tone of your reply, but would request that you recognize it is standard editorial practice and freedom to feature, in whole or part, contributions.
Mario Olckers
December 22, 2010 at 12:44 pm
Very well argued. Brilliant article and suggestions for boycott actions. The gentleman with the “socialist leanings” may want to look at ninecommentaries.com/
tibettruth
December 22, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Thanks for your supportive comments, pleased you enjoyed the article.
Roxsan
January 11, 2011 at 12:11 am
I agree!! My New Year Resolution is to not buy anything from China what they are doing in Tibet is horrible and I refuse to support it in anyway!!
tibettruth
January 11, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Thank you for your support.
Anand RM
April 24, 2011 at 9:11 pm
I will never buy chinees products. I will share this message to others. My support and wishes to tibet ppl.
Dechen
June 9, 2011 at 4:45 pm
I strongly support boycott made in China.Just walking away not buying made in China means nothing unless you walk up to the store managers request them to bring in things similar to that of made in China from any of your own favorite nations like India,Japan,S. Korea,European nations,Australia so on so forth,because you will not buy any thing made in “CHINA”.That’s all.Whether they pay heed to what you have said today right away is difficult.But day in day out every body who choose not to buy made in China will let them know…you will see a change.If you walk away quietly without buying made in China,no one would know it.The fact of the matter here is to convey a message… (HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION,COLONIZING TIBET NOT ,PAYING DECENT WAGES TO THE TIBETAN S AND CHINESE. WORKERS WITHOUT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION(FORCED PRISON LABORS) ETC. ETC).
tibettruth
June 9, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Absolutely!
Jenn (@jtesnani)
December 9, 2011 at 9:44 pm
two identical products side by side, one made in china ($10), one made in US ($35). will you buy the $35 item? walmart, TJX, Target, etc, contribute to cheap products getting manufactured overseas.
tjx commercials are telling you to “leave the mall this holiday season” because you can buy the same items for much cheaper at their stores.
the question is, can you stay away?
tibettruth
December 10, 2011 at 12:23 pm
Thanks Jenn, a very fair point, suppose another question is, ‘Should you stay away, in terms of doing the right thing?’
mohandoshiMohan Doshi
December 17, 2011 at 5:50 pm
China has trampled the sovereign state of Tibet and has suppressed Tibetans for almost more than 50 years now; and it seems to be in no mood to relinquish Tibet.
China is also flexing its muscles in the region, against the back drop of billions of dollars worth of money lying in its vaults; money earned through flogging their slave labor to produce goods at unheard of low prices, due to state intervention, suppression of the rights of the labor force, subsidies etc.
The world and Tibet will be better served if China retreats behind its bamboo curtain and leaves Tibet, stops its hegemony in the region and ushers a reign of peace in the region. We on our part must ensure that not a nickel of our hard earned money ends up in China’s hands to further oppress the innocent.
This can be done by boycotting Chinese made goods and ushering world opinion for China to leave Tibet once and for all.
tibettruth
December 18, 2011 at 11:56 am
Many thanks for your contribution
Rajasekhar Reddy
January 13, 2012 at 10:57 am
once india was under british controll indians boycotted british thing .if u desire it everything is possible
tibettruth
January 13, 2012 at 12:10 pm
true indeed
Scott Dickerson
January 26, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Definitely will.