CNN Didn't Condemn China for Being Against Food Waste
The Claim
News outlet CNN said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the governing party of the People's Republic of China (PRC), is anti-freedom for being against food waste.
Emerging story
Chinese President Xi called for an end to food waste, an issue that plagues many countries, especially developed ones. On August 28, 2020, CNN published an article about the CCP’s new food-waste initiatives.
Some social media users decried it as an example of American propaganda, asserting that CNN has essentially said that food waste equates to free speech.
Misbar’s Analysis
It seems that many of these social media users had not actually read the article. Misbar found that CNN never equated food waste and freedom. The article in question discusses the authoritarian approach that the Chinese government has taken to reduce food waste in its “Clean Plate” program.
The Chinese government has implemented strict and invasive measures, such as monitoring individual eating habits and issuing limits to how many dishes customers can order at restaurants. CNN juxtaposes this with China’s culture of eating, which – according to the article – asserts that food waste is a show of wealth, due to the history of famine in the region. While the title does imply that food waste is a show of individual freedom, it emphasizes how the government’s policies are clashing with cultural norms. It never condemns China for being against food waste.
