MCLC: baby formula shortage petition

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Kevin Carrico <kjc83 at cornell.edu>
Subject: baby formula shortage petition
***********************************************************

The past few months have been "interesting" for Hong Kong-China relations.

Today's South China Morning Post features a story about an appeal on the
White House petitions site for international aid to handle a "baby hunger
outbreak," attributed to the Mainland. Cross-border smuggling and milk
powder hoarding have been a hot topic of discussion in recent weeks on
Facebook, particularly on the Hong Kong City-State Autonomy Movement's
page: 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hong-Kong-City-State-Autonomy-Movement-HKAM/3
40252672654730 

An outline of the HKAM can be found here:

http://hkam2011.blogspot.com/2011/09/hkam-outline.html

And the petition can be found at:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/baby-hunger-outbreak-hong-kong-in
ternational-aid-requested/xVSGJNN1

Kevin

===========================================================

Source: SCMP (1/31/13):
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1139696/hongkongers-appeal-barac
k-obama-over-baby-formula-shortage

Hongkongers appeal to US over baby formula shortage
By Emily Tsang, Joanna Chiu and Amy Nip

Hongkongers are appealing for help from US President Barack Obama as
infant formula supplies continue to run low despite the government having
pledged to guarantee supply.

A petition, entitled "Baby hunger outbreak in Hong Kong, international aid
requested 
<https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/baby-hunger-outbreak-hong-kong-i
nternational-aid-requested/xVSGJNN1>", was created on Tuesday on the White
House website's "We the People" section. There, individuals can create and
sign petitions to request action by the US federal government.

"Local parents in Hong Kong can hardly buy baby formula milk powder in
drugstores and supermarkets, as smugglers from mainland China storm to
this tiny city to buy milk powder and resell it for huge profits in
China," it reads. "We request international support and assistance as
babies in Hong Kong will face malnutrition very soon."

A minimum 100,000 signatures are necessary before a February 28 deadline
to trigger a response from the White House. The appeal comes just days
ahead of an expected government announcement of measures to deal with the
shortage.

Speaking on RTHK yesterday, Secretary for Food and Health Dr Ko Wing-man
said the government was studying the feasibility of making baby formula a
reserved commodity like rice. That would curb trading by mainlanders, who
are blamed for the shortage and inflated prices.

"In two or three days, the government may be able to announce some new
measures. We are now discussing the details," Ko said.

Executive councillor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who proposed the measure, has
also suggested that each traveller be allowed to carry at most two cans of
formula out of the city. Ko said in case of a quota, an exemption would be
made for local parents.

Many pharmacies in the New Territories were sold out of formula yesterday,
with government announcements having aggravated the usual rush of mainland
shoppers ahead of the Lunar New Year.

Most stores in Sheung Shui appeared to be out of stock. But outside one
branch of Watsons, a mainland woman and her son packed 40 tins of formula
into bags and suitcases to take home.

"My children are grown, but I give these as gifts to family members for
the New Year," she said. "I bought some extra when I heard the government
was thinking of restricting purchases."