Chinese Infant Formula Scandal Widens
In recent days Chinese officials have tried to shift all responsibility in the ongoing tainted infant milk formula scandal onto the Sanlun Group, publicizing the fact that the company knew about the tainted milk products for six weeks but tried to cover up the situation. This effort is an attempt to turn public opinion against the corporation and away from criticism of the government.
A well-known domestic Chinese portal website sent a journalist to report in an ongoing column from the Sanlun headquarters, but on Sunday September 14 all articles regarding the case were removed. An employee of the website confirmed that the Information Office of the State Council Internet Bureau issued a directive to remove all references to this sensitive case, and ordered the reporter recalled to Beijing. China's three major web portals--Sina, Netease, and Sohu--on Sunday September 14 contained only official reports on the ongoing scandal, tantamount to maintaining conspicuous silence in the face of "ten thousand booming cannons" criticizing the corporation and lax official oversight surrounding the case.
A local netizen expressed outrage: "That Sanlun manufactured faulty products is no surprise. What is disgusting is that the government is manufacturing its own lies, trying to shift exclusive blame to the company and imposing an information blackout, they are a pack of scoundrels!" A netizen said of the regime: "They are trying to direct all the incoming fire at Sanlun Group, and trying to shrink into the background themselves for fear of the consequences!" The New Zealand dairy conglomerate Fonterra is 43 percent owner of the Chinese milk products corporation Sanlu. On Sunday September 14 Fonterra issued a statement saying that six weeks ago it knew that Sanlun's baby formula powder was tainted, and that they called on Sanlun to publicize the problem and to comprehensively recall all the tainted products at that time. But they received no response from their local Chinese partners. The statement also expresses the desire on the part of Fonterra to meet with Chinese officials and discuss the problem directly.
中国官方前日把所有责任推给三鹿集团"知情不报"，将舆论焦点引到企业。消息指，中宣部已下令媒体不得再擅自报道。
内地一家著名入门网站本来开有一个滚动报道栏目，并派记者往事发地现场报道，但14日开始已撤掉。网站一名工作人员对本报证实，收到网络局指示，不能再自行发稿，记者亦要撤回北京。中国三大入门网站新浪、网易及搜狐，14日浏览页面只有官方说法，与事发初期"万炮齐轰"比较明显冷静。
有内地网友怒斥："三鹿造假不稀奇，可恶的是政府也一起造假，只会推责任封锁言论，是一群混蛋！"有网友指当局"将炮火引向三鹿集团，自己缩到后面，怕影响形象！"拥有三鹿集团逾四成股份的新西兰恒天然集团（Fonterra）14日发表声明称，他们早在六周前已得悉三鹿奶粉出问题，并要求三鹿集团全面回收问题奶粉，但得不到回应。声明称，希望与中国有关部门官员会面，商讨事件。