Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
While Enderle minimizes the socialist contributions to China's ethical
practices, other than to note its state- and community-based orientations,
socialist ideals practiced domestically are informative of China's overseas
activities. First, the socialist emphasis on community is in relation to the
motherland and the state; it is not necessarily directed toward a global
civil society or to nonlocal, non-Chinese, and non-socialist communities,
where China seeks petroleum. Second, Chinese socialism marginalizes
environmental responsibilities and articulates a meager perception of
civic and human rights, placing Chinese offi cials and SOEs in a situation
when operating overseas, of which they have limited experience and
understanding and into which affected people have been defi ning and
contesting injustices for years.
Overseas Operations
These domestic inconsistencies command special attention when analyz-
ing China's overseas operations. One would expect the domestic realiza-
tion of greater rights and standards than those practiced overseas, which
has been demonstrated during times of colonialism and neocolonialism.
In this case, China's leadership perpetuates and enables human, labor,
and environmental abuses both domestically and internationally. Yet as
a newcomer to the oil industry, China expresses a desire to demonstrate
its understanding of and ability to meet Northern standards. However,
this demonstration appears to be one of a follower or a mimic, rather
than a leader or inventor. Therefore, when operating alone in China or
overseas or as the primary oil entity with minimal national controls,
Chinese oil companies may fail to meet even the substandard Northern
benchmarks.
Taken together, China is likely to adopt Northern standards for
some
of its international practices that are monitored by affected groups and
responsive state leaders, while perpetuating inferior standards elsewhere,
including in parts of Africa and Asia and even within China itself. There-
fore concerns that China is operating its overseas facilities in a manner
that is inferior to China's domestic operations are unfounded. Such fears
underestimate the social and environmental commitments of state leaders
that have been demanded by affected people especially in Latin America.
Access to Africa and Asia
In a withering assessment of China's operations overseas, one journalist
warned that the international community “may miss the clarion call of
