Liang 1

Lyndon Liang

Professor Shane Crosby

English Composition 3, Section 48

5 November 2017

Perrottets Argument for Chinese Products in Made in China

In Made in China, Tony Perrottet describes the drastically changing landscape of

Chinese culture through the lens of Western dining, while expressing his own opinion on the

wines, cheeses, and caviar he has tried in China. Additionally, he explains the growing

availability of these products while addressing the readers concerns regarding the safety of these

consumables. He appeals to his audience by writing from a Western, capitalist perspective and

delving into the economics of Western dining in China. At the same time, he makes an ethos

appeal through his taste buds and experience with fine dining. By proving that the Chinese

products discussed in the article are safe, tasteful, and readily available for consumption, he

disproves the stereotype of low-quality Chinese products to encourage his audience to try

Chinese novelties. Commented [1]: I reorganized my thesis in order to fit

First, Perrottet explores wines, cheeses, and caviar in China to ensure the quality and
variety of Chinese products to his audience. He explains that since the country has the soil, the
climate and an aptitude for the technical aspects of production, the Chinese market for boutique
the contents of my essay. I also changed my how from
"Through this contrast" to "By proving that the Chinese
products discussed in the article are safe, tasteful, and
readily available for consumption" such that my thesis
had a broader approach to explaining how Perrottet
"disproves the stereotype" and "encourages his
audience to try Chinese novelties."

wines is broadening at an accelerating pace (Perrottet). In fact, he provides empirical evidence Commented [2]: I broke up the quote I used and
integrated it into a sentence instead of hurling the
whole quote at my reader.
of the increasing diversity of the Chinese wine market by noting how [a Chinese winery] is

even releasing the first Chinese sparkling wine, maintaining his claim that the Chinese boutique

wine market is indeed diversifying (Perrottet). Meanwhile, he further ensures his audience that Commented [3]: I wanted to provide evidence of
"variety of Chinese products" where I had not in the
first draft of this essay.
the wine is truly remarkable by stating that the quality of this wine is undeniable (Perrottet).
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Moreover, he emphatically endorses Chinese wine, claiming that many believe that for local

winemakers in this near-virgin territory, the prospects [for the wine market] can only improve Commented [4]: I cut out "and that it has a lot of
growing room" because it was redundant and
essentially repeated the last part of the quote in
(Perrottet). By stating his firm position and recommending the Chinese wines, he encourages his different words instead of explaining it.

audience to go and try them out on their own. He leaves with his audience the impression that

Chinese wine has the potential to become as great as other wines (or even better), persuading his

audience to try Chinese wine in the future.

Next, by showing that Chinese vineyards are shifting their consumer market towards the

Chinese middle-class, Perrottet explains how the influence of Chinese wines is spreading as a

result of its increasing availability. Though the main consumers of Chinese wine used to be Commented [5]: Previously, this paragraph was
imprecise and its contents loosely proved its topic
sentence. I made my topic sentence more precise and
foreigners in China, Perrottet observes that the new wave of Chinese middle-class diners has provided a stronger basis for my claims.

now become the majority of the market, implying that the general Chinese population is

becoming more willing to consume Chinese wine (Perrottet). According to Yang Lu, the wine Commented [6]: I originally added a quote about how
the consumers of Chinese wine transitioned from
foreigners to Chinese people and summarized it, but
director of the Shangri-La empire, having a Chinese middle class with a disposable income never actually explained what it meant. Here, I
integrated the quote into the sentence and embedded
will allow wine to evolve from a luxury product into a daily beverage (Perrottet). Perrottet its explanation in terms of my topic sentence.

reveals that the Chinese wine industry is directing its aim at an estimated 200 million potential

consumers in Chinas growing middle class who are being exposed to wine for the first time,

suggesting that Chinese vineyards will sell quality wines for lower prices in the future in order to

appeal to this set of consumers (Perrottet). Through this evidence, he intends to convince the Commented [7]: I added these two quotes to support
my claim that the expansion of the Chinese middle
class will allow wine to become a popular drink among
reader to try Chinese wine in the imminent future not only because it will be less expensive to the less privileged in China.

purchase and and worth more in market value, but also because of its predicted popularity and

expanding availability for consumption. Commented [8]: Rephrased to increase rhetorical

strength.
Additionally, Perrottet invalidates the misconception that Chinese consumables are

unsafe, addressing the readers concerns regarding quality control regulations. In China, there
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exist food-safety problems [that] have contributed to a rapid decline of social trust since they

affect the lives of Chinese people in harmful ways (Yan 705). Complications regarding weak

and fragmented regulatory controls [...] adulteration in food production processes and

widespread corruption which exist have contributed to undermining the safety level of food

products (Prevost 39). Such problems have led to significant health concerns surrounding Commented [9]: I added this quote to specify
examples of these "problems" that Yan mentions in the
previous quote.
Chinese consumable products, leading even foreign consumers to be highly skeptical of their

safety. Perrottet frankly states that [Chinese caviar] still struggles to overcome the made-in-

China stigma, but urges his audience to refrain from generalizing this stigma to all Chinese

products (Perrottet). He assures his audience that the small producers of artisanal Western Commented [10]: I provided Perrottet's point to show
that he actively is trying to convince his audience to
refrain from applying the "made-in-China" stigma to
delicacies are so far untouched by [health-related] scandals even though certain reports Chinese caviar.

pertaining to these issues have dominated the media in the past few years (Perrottet). Since there

have been no reasonable health concerns regarding these Chinese novelties, he debunks the

stereotype that China only produces unregulated, cheap goods, therefore giving his audience a

green light to try these products. Commented [11]: I rephrased the 'to what effect' of
this paragraph so that it would have a stronger logical
flow.
Next, Perrottet speaks to his Western audience by appealing to their generally pro-

capitalist views. When discussing the beginnings of mass-produced wine in China, he mentions

how production of wine began expanding after the countrys embrace of capitalism in the

1980s, which occurred after a long period of stagnation following the Communist Revolution

(Perrottet). In essence, he infers that Chinas production of wine has been expanding in recent

decades due to the advent of capitalism in China. To appeal to his Western audience, he pairs Commented [12]: I rephrased this sentence into a
more cohesive unit.
the idea of stagnation with [Communism] while grouping expanding and capitalism

together, which juxtaposes the benefits of capitalism against the disadvantages of communism

and appeals to readers of WSJ. Magazine, who generally lean towards pro-capitalist views. By
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aligning himself with capitalism in his article, he appeals to their economic views and thus

amplifies his message. As a result, his audience is more inclined to embrace Chinese wine Commented [13]: "By aligning himself with capitalism"
sounds" makes more sense than "By promoting
capitalism" in this context.
because they are more receptive to capitalism than they are to communism.

Perrottet constantly compares the new Chinese novelties to their traditional origins, such

as those of France or Italy. He opens his piece by mentioning how Grace Vineyard, 310 miles

southwest of Beijing, might be mistaken for a winery in Tuscany (Perrottet). By immediately

beginning with a comparison between a traditional Italian winery and a Chinese vineyard, he

introduces his audience to the theme of the article. He continues to digress that the Commented [14]: "continues to digress" is more
logical than "continues" alone in terms of the article.
conventional wisdomor clichis that China can reproduce Western manufacturing or

technology overnight, but European artisanal culinary delicacies that have evolved over

generations are all but impossible to replicate, repeatedly matching Chinese products up with

their Western versions in order to demonstrate that China is beginning to compete with the West

in this manner (Perrottet). His comparison levels the newer Chinese wine, cheese, and caviar Commented [15]: I attached the explanation to make
the originally lone quote effective and more cohesive
with the rest of the paragraph.
with their older and more traditional French and Italian counterparts. Through equating the

quality of Chinese products to that of Western products in his prompt, Perrottet questions Commented [16]: I added the 'how' so that the 'to
what effect' would have a logical flow.
Western stereotypes in an attempt to convince his audience to judge Chinese products on their

own.

Moreover, Perrottet shares his optimistic view on Chinese products and ensures his

audience they will be as good or even better than their Western counterparts. He highlights in

his article that according to a Chinese chef he interviewed, Chinese produce does not have to be Commented [17]: "He highlights in his article that
according to a Chinese chef he interviewed" sounds
much less awkward than "He highlights in his article
inferior; it can be better (Perrottet). He also quotes an American sommelier from the article who that a chef with whom he discussed food claimed."

relents that Chinese wine doesnt have a recognizable identity yet, but will inevitably develop

unique characteristics in the foreseeable future (Perrottet). By mentioning multiple shared views Commented [18]: This quote is much more effective
and more direct than the "Ahhh, thats a classic Shanxi"
quote.
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on the same Chinese wines, Perrottet confirms from credible sources that he is not the only one

who has this perspective. From this, he reinforces the strength of his argument and thus

heightens its effect on his audience. Commented [19]: I added the 'to what effect' to
complete the paragraph.
Perrottet also boosts his own credibility by demonstrating his knowledge of the culinary

world while critiquing the taste of the products, especially wine, as a food critic would. He

constantly refers back to the history and rise of Californian wine when he discusses how he

believes Chinese consumables are becoming competitive with those in the West; he compares

the moment when the [success of a Chinese wine] was heralded as the arrival of an industry

to the famous blind tasting in 1976 when California wines outshone the Gauls for the first time

(Perrottet). He also provides historical background dating back to 1892 when grape wine was

first grown commercially in China (Perrottet). Perrottet displays his expertise in wine by citing

historical facts on multiple occasions and applying them to the increasing prominence of Chinese

wine. His language is specific when he describes tastes, as a wine connoisseur or critic would

do. Perrottets words pertain to very precise sensations, which his audience would be able to

imagine simply by deriving meaning from his language. For example, he also describes a sip of

a Chinese Chardonnay as crisp and bright, with subtle nectarine flavors to show his audience

he is very explicit in detailing the taste of wine (Perrottet). By demonstrating his ability to

describe the taste of wine with such detail and attention, Perrottet shows his audience that he is

qualified to provide an accurate and reliable characterization of the Chinese products he

discusses in the article. He broadens his credibility as a way to make an ethos appeal as a way to

gain the trust of his audience. Commented [20]: I added this paragraph to show how
Perrottet builds up his credibility in his article, which fits
in the scope of the thesis and strengthens it.
Finally, Perrottet tops his article with the title Fine Wine and CaviarMade in China?,

which provides his readers with an appeal to logos. Made in China is a label often seen on
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products and is a stereotype of being a mark of low quality. [Chinas economic] disadvantages

include lack of innovation and therefore dependence on Western technology, low value added

due to processing/assembly manufacturing, an economic scholar reports, and cites weaknesses

in logistics, marketing and sales channels as potential weaknesses of the Chinese economy

(Zhang 311). This demonstrates how the Chinese garnered economic strength through volume,

rather than quality, and therefore have gained this negative connotation. Throughout the article, Commented [21]: This quote and explanation was
added to show how "Made in China" is seen as a low-
quality label from an economic perspective.
perrottet strives to discredit the negative connotations associated with this label. The title

juxtaposes two seemingly conflicting ideas and questions the validity of aforementioned

stereotypes through irony, as described in the article. At first glance, the audience might find

humor in the title and guess that the author is poking fun at Chinese products by belittling them;

after reading the text, the audience may notice how the title is ironic in that it actually questions

the negative stigma associated with Chinese products in general. By allowing the audience to Commented [22]: I explained how the title is ironic in
terms of the article.
discover the apparent irony in the title, Perrottet reinforces and strengthens his articles message

and shines a positive light on Chinese consumables, further urging his audience to try Chinese Commented [23]: I reiterated the 'what' so that the
reader could link the 'what,' the 'how,' and the 'to what
effect.'
products.

In summary, Perrottets Made in China successfully encourages his audience to try the

products mentioned by shedding a positive light on Chinese products. He provides his audience

with insight into these novelty Chinese products while reassuring his audience that they are

trustworthy. Perrottet writes from a Western point of view, which his audience would be more

inclined to trust. He also gives the reader an optimistic outlook for the future of the Chinese

market on so-called Western food and drink. To further garner his readers trust, he displays

his credentials by exhibiting his receptive palate and a deep understanding of the history of wine

in China. By showing how ironic the made-in-China stereotype is, he dismantles the old view
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of Chinese products and introduces his own vision for the true view of Chinese products and its

future. His comparisons provide the reader with insight into the quality of Chinese products,

informing the reader of a credible Western opinion on these consumables, which they trust as

similar to his or her own opinion. Thus, he successfully accomplishes his goal of educating his

audience about Chinese novelty products and encouraging his audience to try them. Commented [24]: I adjusted the conclusion to match
my new thesis.
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Works Cited

Perrottet, Tony. Fine Wine and Caviar-Made in China? The Wall Street Journal, Dow

Jones & Company, 3 Dec. 2014, www.wsj.com/articles/fine-wine-and-caviarmade-in-

china-1417628285.

Prevost, Denise. Food Safety in China: Implications of Accession to the WTO. China

Perspectives, no. 1 (89), 2012, pp. 3947. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/24055443

Yan, Yunxiang. Food Safety and Social Risk in Contemporary China. The Journal of Asian

Studies, vol. 71, no. 3, 2012, pp. 705729. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/23263583.

Zhang, Kevin H. Chinas Manufacturing Performance and Industrial Competitiveness

Upgrading: International Comparison and Policy Reflection. Chinas Domestic

Transformation in a Global Context, edited by LIGANG SONG et al., ANU Press, 2015,

pp. 297314. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt16wd0dw.17. Commented [25]: I added the "Works Cited" page to
properly cite Perrottet and my other sources.