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China-Japan-Koreas
China imposes chopsticks tax
2006-03-24
The Chinese Government is imposing new or higher taxes on a range of goods and fuels as part of its efforts to control energy consumption and protect the environment. Car taxes will go up, while disposable chopsticks will be subject to a new tax. The tax on chopsticks may seem a curious way for the Chinese leadership to demonstrate its new found commitment to the environment. But from next month, a 5 per cent tax will be levied on every pair of disposable, wooden chopsticks. China gets through about 10 billion boxes a year.
Posted by:Fred

#17  BS: Zheng Fei - It was my understanding that Asian people often brought their own chopsticks, and it wasn't considered insulting to do so. Is that incorrect?

What I have seen is this - in some regions, (1) the first pot of steaming hot tea is poured into a teacup, (2) the chopsticks (if not disposable) are rinsed in the tea, (3) the cup of tea is poured into a bowl, (4) the cup is rinsed in the bowl, (5) the tea is poured out of the bowl into a large communal bowl meant for that express purpose and (6) the bowl of water is taken away. Dishes are served banquet style.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-24 23:57  

#16  BS: Zheng Fei - It was my understanding that Asian people often brought their own chopsticks, and it wasn't considered insulting to do so. Is that incorrect?

I've never personally encountered the practice - and I've dined in a variety of restaurants throughout Southeast (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) and Northeast Asia (Hong Kong, China, Korea, Taiwan).
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-24 23:52  

#15  Zheng Fei - It was my understanding that Asian people often brought their own chopsticks, and it wasn't considered insulting to do so. Is that incorrect?
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-03-24 21:43  

#14  You make being jaded sound like fun.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-03-24 19:44  

#13  mine's only jade when someone else plays it, Zen

Don't you just love visits to the heavenly gate with all those clouds and rain?
Posted by: Zenster   2006-03-24 19:42  

#12  mine's only jade when someone else plays it, Zen :-)
Posted by: Frank G   2006-03-24 19:05  

#11  BS: Bamboo, pine - pfui. My chopsticks (a Christmas gift) are jade.

Disposable ones are used at restaurants. Hygiene standards at restaurants in China aren't exactly tip-top. Customers feel a little more secure using disposable flatware.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-24 18:54  

#10  Most disposable chopsticks are made from aspen. But the best are milled from a single, mature coast redwood. I use nothing else.
Posted by: Grunter   2006-03-24 18:51  

#9  Found myself a pair of those jade chopsticks in the thrift shop, Barbara. Paid all of a whopping $5.00 for them. The jade flute I got in Taiwan cost a few more frogskins.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-03-24 17:43  

#8  Bamboo, pine - pfui. My chopsticks (a Christmas gift) are jade.

Wonder what the ChiComs would tax me for that?

If they could, of course. ;p
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-03-24 14:29  

#7  gromky: I always thought that most disposable chopsticks were made of bamboo. I guess I thought wrong.

The non-disposable ones are made of bamboo. They have tensile strength. The disposable ones feel like pine - flex them and they break. Plus they're real soft, like pine, and unlike bamboo.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-24 12:42  

#6  Nope. Each chopstick comes from a single lodgepole pine.

Actually, what we know as chopsticks are, in reality, partially formed toothpicks where the lathe bit fouled before completion.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-03-24 12:16  

#5  The tax on chopsticks may seem a curious way for the Chinese leadership to demonstrate its new found commitment to the environment.

Considering that [iirc] they import the wood from the US.
Posted by: Phort Whoth9906   2006-03-24 08:44  

#4  Nope. Each chopstick comes from a single lodgepole pine.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2006-03-24 07:58  

#3  I always thought that most disposable chopsticks were made of bamboo. I guess I thought wrong.
Posted by: gromky   2006-03-24 07:55  

#2  Good luck collecting. The Chinese are tax evaders par excellence. Not avoiders, in the sense of finding loopholes - outright evaders.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2006-03-24 03:06  

#1  China imposes chopsticks tax

#10
Posted by: RD   2006-03-24 02:50  

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