Scott Tong

Correspondent

Scott Tong is a former correspondent for Marketplace. He reported on sustainability issues (energy, climate, environment, resources) for Marketplace, as well as the U.S.-China technology relationship, frequently described as “fraught.” He is Marketplace’s former China bureau chief. What was your first job? English-language audiotape (yes, tape) voice-over work. Sixth grade.Taiwan. What advice do you wish someone had given you before you started this career? Show up an hour before the interview. Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______. Gas for kid carpools; Washington Capitals hockey tickets. What is something that everyone should own, no matter how much it costs? Smoker (plus wooden slotted spoon). What’s your most memorable Marketplace moment? Sneaking into Burma for twenty bucks.

Latest from Scott Tong

Jul 3, 2007
China playing dirty on pollution?
News that 750,000 people are killed by pollution in China each year is made more disturbing still by allegations that the nation pressured the World Bank to omit that statistic from a recent report. Scott Tong has details.
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Jun 30, 2007
Hong Kong sees mainlanders coming
A decade ago this weekend, Hong Kong became a Chinese territory again after 156 years of British rule. It's flourished under China's control — and from the flow of mainland vacationers. Scott Tong reports.
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Jun 27, 2007
China food crackdown may lack bite
The Chinese government shuttered 180 factories today after inspectors found industrial chemicals in food products. It sounds like a step in the right direction, but with 750,000 food processing plants, safety enforcement is no easy task. Scott Tong reports.
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Jun 26, 2007
NYC tourism headed to China
New York City has made the list. It's reached a deal to be added to a select group of U.S. tourism destinations allowed to promote themselves to Communist China's booming middle class. They have cash and they're ready to travel, Scott Tong reports.
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Jun 21, 2007
Slave labor in China
China has announced a nationwide inspection of labor conditions following revelations of widespread human trafficking and forced labor in brick-making facilities there. But that doesn't mean change is at hand. Scott Tong explains.
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Jun 21, 2007
China cracks down on slave labor
China's government has announced a crackdown on enslavement after reports of widespread human trafficking. Scott Tong tracked down two laborers who shared their experiences of being abducted and forced to work.
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Jun 16, 2007
Text rumors prove costly in China
The Chinese have enthusiastically embraced text messaging. However, they recently discovered its power to spread disinformation — sometimes with economically disastrous results. Scott Tong reports.
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Jun 11, 2007
Olympic factories accused of labor violations
A watchdog group says four factories making official gear for the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing overwork their employees and use child labor. Sponsors already have contingency plans for bad news.
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Jun 9, 2007
The nanny: Babysitter, housekeeper . . . day-trader?
More than 100 million Chinese invest in the stock market, four times the number there were last year. And, as Scott Tong found out, some of them are closer to home than he expected.
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Jun 6, 2007
China’s new recipe for safety
Following several domestic and international scandals surrounding the safety of China's food and drug products, the Chinese government has announced a far-reaching plan for improvement. Scott Tong has details.
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Scott Tong

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