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The Social Context of the Chinese Food System: An Ethnographic Study of the Beijing Seafood Market

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  • Michael Fabinyi

    (Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville City QLD 4811, Australia
    WorldFish, Jalan Batu Maung, Batu Maung, 11960 Bayan Lepas, Malaysia)

  • Neng Liu

    (Department of Sociology, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, 100871 Beijing, China)

Abstract

China’s role in the global food system has expanded immensely in recent years. In the seafood sector, it is now the largest consumer of seafood products in the world, making the Chinese market highly significant for global fisheries. Drawing on ethnographic- and interview-based research in the largest seafood market in Beijing, this paper analyzes the social context of Chinese consumption and trade. We broadly conceive of this social context as encompassing a range of social norms and practices that include culturally and historically generated consumer preferences, and distinctive forms of governance and business practice. We find that the social context of China is a key driver of patterns of consumption and trade, and provides challenges and opportunities to improve governance for environmental sustainability. We highlight the need for greater policy and academic attention to these characteristics of seafood consumption and trade within China.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Fabinyi & Neng Liu, 2016. "The Social Context of the Chinese Food System: An Ethnographic Study of the Beijing Seafood Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:3:p:244-:d:65176
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Neil M. Coe & Peter Dicken & Martin Hess, 2008. "Global production networks: realizing the potential," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 8(3), pages 271-295, May.
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    3. Jentoft, Svein, 2000. "Legitimacy and disappointment in fisheries management," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 141-148, March.
    4. Economy, Elizabeth & Levi, Michael, 2014. "By All Means Necessary: How China's Resource Quest is Changing the World," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199921782.
    5. Broughton, Edward I. & Walker, Damian G., 2010. "Policies and practices for aquaculture food safety in China," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 471-478, October.
    6. repec:bla:devpol:v:22:y:2004:i::p:557-586 is not listed on IDEAS
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    1. Bassett, Hannah R. & Lau, Jacqueline & Giordano, Christopher & Suri, Sharon K. & Advani, Sahir & Sharan, Sonia, 2021. "Preliminary lessons from COVID-19 disruptions of small-scale fishery supply chains," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Junhao Wu & Yuan Hu & Daqing Wu & Zhengyong Yang, 2022. "An Aquatic Product Price Forecast Model Using VMD-IBES-LSTM Hybrid Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-26, August.
    3. Beibei Wu & Xudong Shang & Yongfu Chen, 2021. "Household dairy demand by income groups in an urban Chinese province: A multistage budgeting approach," Agribusiness, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(3), pages 629-649, July.
    4. Wesley Malcorps & Richard W. Newton & Silvia Maiolo & Mahmoud Eltholth & Changbo Zhu & Wenbo Zhang & Saihong Li & Michael Tlusty & David C. Little, 2021. "Global Seafood Trade: Insights in Sustainability Messaging and Claims of the Major Producing and Consuming Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.

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