Chinese Shops Get Looted in Argentina

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 21, 2001

Chinese Shops Get Looted in Argentina

Some grocery shops owned by overseas Chinese as well as Argentinian citizens of Chinese origin had been looted in this week's disturbances in Argentina. The Chinese Embassy in Buenos Aires Thursday expressed Beijing's concern at the situation in Argentina and asked the country's government to protect the lives and property of overseas Chinese and Argentinian citizens of Chinese origin there.

Chinese Shops Get Looted in Argentina

Chinese Government Shows Concern

In Beijing Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said China believes that Argentina's Government and people will overcome the current difficulties, revive their economy and maintain their social stability.

She said that some grocery shops owned by overseas Chinese as well as Argentinian citizens of Chinese origin had been looted in this week's disturbances in Argentina.

Lin's Misfortune in Buenos Aires

Lin Guoxing, a 49-year-old Chinese man, felt his life was in danger as he cowered in his heavily guarded supermarket in suburban Buenos Aires.

Liu, who emigrated to the South American country in 1988, did not sleep for two days, his eyes fixated on the main door of his shop.

On Tuesday afternoon, more than 200 locals suddenly rushed towards his supermarket, broke the windows with hammers, tore open the front entrance and snatched every item they could take.

In 50 minutes of looting, the mob, which included women and children, turned one of Liu's three supermarkets into a mass of debris and empty shelves.

Lintelephoned all his employees and told them to meet in one of his other supermarkets, which has a shop floor of about 1,200 square meters, to prepare for another possible ransacking.

He strengthened the iron front door, covered all the windows and piled up all the reserve stock, ranging from packets of chocolate to toothbrushes and even boxes of Coca-Cola cans.

However, Lin said he still felt unsafe. All the employees, including some local Argentinians, helped him defend his shop. They relied only on a phone and a television to find out about what turned out the biggest riot in Argentina in a decade.

Coughing frequently, a hoarse-voiced Lin said: "I am scared. I do not know what will happen to me tomorrow morning. All I can do is wait and pray for luck.''

Chinese Nationals Bear Brunt

Lin's pain was felt by other members of the Chinese business community in Argentina.

Many Argentinians, angry at government austerity measures and poverty, turned their rage into looting and demonstrations this week and fought riot police in the streets.

Chinese nationals -- who play a big role in Argentina's supermarket, chain-store, restaurant and gift-shop business -- are bearing the brunt of the situation.

Of 4,000 supermarkets in the capital Buenos Aires, 1,800 are run by Chinese, said an official from Chinese Embassy .

The official, who surname is Xiang, said of the Chinese-run supermarkets: "However, due to their proximity to the localities inhabited mainly by lower and middle-income families, these stores have been hit hard.''

But, in an interview, Xiang said that nobody had been reported injured.

Chinese History in Buenos Aires

There are an estimated 50,000 Chinese living in Buenos Aires -- 30,000 from the mainland and the rest from Taiwan Province. The total number of Chinese in Argentina is not known.

Many of the Chinese came to Argentina to set up in business because the Latin American nation used to be a symbol of vibrant economic growth in the early 1990s.

But the boat foundered in the last two years as inflated government spending and overloaded foreign debt stifled the business environment. Unemployment climbed to a record high and living standards declined.

Chinese Embassy Asked for Help

The businessman, who represents more than 100 supermarket owners of Chinese origin, called the embassy and asked for immediate help.

"I have outlined my case, as well as that of many of my business colleagues, to the embassy and we hope they can give us a hand in protecting the justified interests and lives of Chinese here,'' said Lin.

Xiang confirmed Thursday that officials from the embassy had passed on the details to the Argentinian authorities and called for them to find and punish the looters quickly.

No figure has been put on overall financial losses but Lin said the looting caused him more than US$100,000 of losses.

"Look, it takes at least US$100,000 to start a supermarket with a shop floor of 1,000 square meters. And not only did I lose my stockpile but the wild vandalism also reduced my store to tatters,'' said Lin.

"Besides, I have had to close my business now due to the uncertainty and I have had to brace myself for another ransacking, which could catch me off guard any time in the next few days.''

Plight of Qiu Luhua

The plight of Qiu Luhua, another supermarket owner in the Argentinian capital, was even worse. He ran a supermarket with a shop floor of 1,000 square meters, located in another suburban residential area.

But, on Wednesday morning, a mob of looters began an unexpected assault. From the morning to noon, all of Qiu's stock was taken. The front door and the facilities inside were all damaged by cars hitting them.

Qiu said life was more important than the goods. To safeguard his family and employees, he gathered them all into a safe area behind the store and resigned himself to the mob's vandalism.

"I just hoped that everybody could be safe, though I am not sure what tomorrow will bring,'' said Qiu.

At the moment, the silver lining on the clouds in Argentina was hard to find.

22 Dead, Argentine President Resigned

Sources from the Argentine government said that Argentine President Fernando De la Rua resigned on Thursday (local time).

De la Rua was compelled to resign merely after finishing a half of his four-year terms in office.

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