Why China hopes to become a hub of halal cooking
May 19, 2916, 7:20 PM
Adam Minter
Officially atheist China, the world's biggest pork consumer, isn't the most natural location for producing food in accordance with Islam's strict halal standards. But that didn't stop a delegation of Malaysians from traveling to China recently to consider investing in a government-sponsored "global halal park" capable of exporting food to the Muslim world.
The opportunity, theoretically, is immense: The halal food industry was worth $1.1 trillion in 2013, and Chinese producers make up a mere 0.1 percent of it. But expanding that market share won't be easy.
Over the years, innumerable scandals have badly damaged China's reputation as a food producer. Meanwhile, government restrictions on religious practice call into question whether regulators and producers will sincerely follow halal guidelines, or tolerate some laxity. How the government addresses these issues will determine how successful its halal ambitions are -- and also help define China's relationship with the larger Muslim world.
That relationship is increasingly important. Under President Xi Jinping, China has started a multibillion-dollar initiative to resuscitate and expand the ancient Silk Road through Central Asia to Europe. "One Belt, One Road," as it's known, envisions new railways, highways, and ports bringing trade and growth for China -- and especially its Western provinces, home to most of the country's 23 million Muslims. Chinese officials and entrepreneurs want to leverage that opportunity, and are even encouraging Shariah-compliant finance schemes.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-wp-blm-china-halal-comment-6695896a-1dc9-11e6-82c2-a7dcb313287d-20160519-story.html
Capitalism poisons everything.
