Government Action

The central government is determined to quell outrage among ordinary Chinese and demonstrate it is responding to the crisis. Premier Wen Jiabao has issued an apology and visited a sick child in the hospital. Speaking in New York on Sept. 23, Wen also promised strong action to inspect factories and protect consumers. Several top officials, including the chairwoman of Sanlu and the mayor of Shijiazhuang, the city where the company is based, have already lost their jobs.