Red Chinese Pianos

[J Patrick Draine]

>Hello.  If no one minds, I'd like to post a question to the list
>regarding pianos from the PRC.

<SNIP>

>......
>This isn't an accusation, mind you, but just how are the workers in the
>PRC, Inc. piano factories treated?   I'd simply like some kind of
>confirmation that everything's OK with their treatment.  I'd like to
>know that if I bring up a warranty issue with a PRC piano, some poor,
>helpless soul (who may be a prisoner of conscience) on the other side of
>the world won't be executed or tortured if the mistake is traced back to
>him or her.  And also, those who supply the unfinished materials to the
>factories...how are their rights and dignity respected?   Are any of
>them forced labor?   Though I'm not a member, I am curious as to the
>PTG's position regarding human rights.

Given that we passed a resolution (maybe 15 years ago?) supporting 
the banning of ivory imports, we've proven that we care something 
about animal rights, so let's hope that we have a benign attitude 
toward our fellow humans. I know of no resolutions that have been 
passed along those lines, however.

I still haven't been to mainland China, so I can't give any 
eyewitness testimony. A delegation of PTG members toured China before 
and during the Tiananmen incident); they saw at least some piano 
manufacturing facilities. Yat-lam Hong wrote an article about the 
tour for the PTJournal.
Roger Wiessteiner (sp??) of Kimball/Bosendorfer has travelled 
extensively as a consultant to piano manufacturers in China; he could 
answer your questions based on his own experiences. Perhaps Liu Baoli 
can offer his assurances as well.
An extensive tour of Chinese piano companies was planned for after 
the IAPBT meeting in Japan 2 years ago, but due to insufficient 
publicity etc. the tour was cancelled. I think the IAPBT meeting in 
2003 will be held in Beijing, so we can all go see for ourselves at 
that time!
Basically, piano manufacture is comparatively complex stuff, compared 
to mining, or assembling plastic dolls. I think (but have no hard 
evidence for you) there are no laogai ("reform through labor") piano 
factories.
That's not to say that lumber used in piano didn't go through a 
laogai lumber mill at some point. I can't really say for sure.

Sorry that I don't have a definite answer for you.

Patrick Draine