The China syndrome

To the ham-lovers of Smithfield, Virginia, it isAmerican weaknessthat explains why Chinese tycoons may soon own the giant pork producer that dominates their home town. Local hams, made from peanut-fed pigs and then hickory-smoked, first earned fame in colonial times. In Smithfield images of hogs vie with American flags as a badge of pride, adorning shopfronts, school sports kit

To the ham-lovers of Smithfield, Virginia, it is American weakness that ex- plains why Chinese tycoons may soon own the giant pork producer that domi- nates their home town. Local hams, made from peanut-fed pigs and then hicko- w-smoked, first earned fame in colonial times. In Smithfield images of hogs vie with American flags as a badge of pride, adorning shopfronts, school sports kit and the town water tower. Yet if a multi-bil- lion-dollar takeover goes ahead, Smith- field Foods--the world＇s largest pork processor, based in the town--will be- come a subsidiary of a Chinese butcher, Shuanghui International.