Vaccine scandal: the Chinese officials who defy disgrace to rise from the ashes of public crises

A deadly health crisis would end careers for government officials in many countries, but China’s latest vaccine scandal has occurred on the watch of a regulatory official who was held responsible for the melamine milk contamination case a decade ago.

“So the guy who oversaw Sanlu was taking charge of the vaccines, how wonderful!” one internet user wrote on Wednesday.

At least four children died and more than 10,000 were hospitalised in 2008 after being fed Sanlu Group milk formula contaminated with melamine, a toxic industrial chemical used to inflate protein readings in quality tests. The practice also occurred at other dairy companies.

Among the dozen-plus officials held responsible for that failure was Sun Xianze, who oversaw food safety regulation in the food and drug regulator. Sun was issued a demerit, the lightest of the penalties given to the disgraced group of cadres.

Six years after the scandal, Sun was assigned to oversee drug safety in the same government agency until his due retirement in March.

And it was on Sun’s watch that the latest vaccine scandal grew, becoming the country’s worst health crisis in years.