Not being a native of China, and having visited various areas of that vast country only a handful of times over the years, I'm unqualified to describe the range and complexities of their specific ethical standards of commerce (which would probably require a book-length treatise, anyway), but I can say that from what I've observed, and from what I know of the experiences of other consumers there, both foreign and native, China's general standards and practices in the marketplace pretty much correspond to the ancient bazaar system that still functions effectively in much of Asia, North Africa, the Near East, and Eastern and Southeastern Europe, i.e. (more or less): anything goes; all is fair; buyer beware; shrewdness prevails; keep your eyes on the moving hands; barter 'til you drop; pay cash; try before you buy and be sure that what you buy is what you tried; trust is disadvantageous; etc.
Yes, I noticed the asterisks, but because I don't have any way of knowing what *should* be, it's not a concept I can easily address.
You may infer their general ethical principles by studying the advertising.
Well, as a monastic renunciate I don't have access to much of a selection, so I suppose my favorites are whatever I'm drinking, which tend to be only Chinese teas. I usually keep on hand a couple of pu-erh beengcha and a toucha or two for my occasional refreshment. When I travel, which is not often, I carry the plastic "Best Chinese THERMOS Teapot in China" that I mentioned in a previous thread, along with a sufficient supply of pu-erh to help sustain my endurance. Right now I'm visiting family, with whom on my last stay in 2002 I inadvertently left the now-"aged" baozhong we discussed earlier, so I've been enjoying that particular tea these past two weeks. Speaking of which, I'll be leaving here tomorrow evening and probably won't again have access to a terminal or computer until some time next year, so please excuse my abrupt departure from this exchange if I'm not able to reply further. And enjoy the Pevear-Volokhonsky translations!