China News Service, July 6th, according to the Argentine Chinese website, citing the media reports, the Chinatown in Buenos Aires has lost its prosperity during the epidemic. Although the majestic momentum of the two lions guarding the city gate is still the same, Xiao Ran looks far away: the bustling sidewalks of the past are now empty, and the fragrance of food is usually no longer visible in the air; most businesses are closed and closed, even if they open individually The shop is also a monk.
According to Mr. Huang who has lived in Argentina for many years, the new coronary pneumonia epidemic has a great impact on the local area. "This epidemic crisis has hit everyone hard." According to his introduction, he came to Argentina at the age of 9, "Chinatown was born in 1978, and gradually developed. Now it is a tourist attraction, usually about 20,000 people come here every Saturday and Sunday."
According to relevant data, there are about 130 Chinese merchants in Chinatown, of which 50 are restaurants, bars and gourmet shops, 40 gift shops, 12 supermarkets, as well as some barber shops, computer phone shops, hospitals and travel agencies. Mr. Huang said that there are few openings today, only about 10%, and the turnover is only about 30% of the usual.
According to reports, three well-known restaurants with a certain history have completely closed in Chinatown in recent weeks. "If you don't work hard, you have to pay a lot of taxes and wages. Takeaway food alone is not enough." The Chinese shopkeeper expressed the hope that the epidemic would pass as soon as possible. "Through the crisis of 1986, 1989 and 2001, but now..."
According to Mr. Huang, large restaurants are the first to fall due to cost structure, and other small gourmet restaurants are now closed because they are completely dependent on tourism. "Many gift shops have begun to decide whether to close the shop, and those that still remain open are family businesses."
Héctor Schreiner, a local citizen who hasn’t been to Chinatown since the epidemic, said in surprise, “Empty and huge changes”; “In the past, it was just a shoulder-to-shoulder on weekends, and now it’s like a gathering of several people during the weekend, it can be quiet Walking on the street, but the merchants sell very few products, not so much to buy."
In this situation, some Chinese people intend to return to China. Mr. Huang said: "From the eyes of those immigrant families, I see the confusion and confusion. They are asking themselves whether they should continue to struggle in this country or return home? Many families have this plan, This has never happened before."
In the eyes of most cloth city citizens, Chinatown is a meeting point of a long history and culture, a good place to relax on the weekends, and a place to buy novel products; and for Chinese people in China, Chinatown has more For far-reaching significance. "A spiritual center, a place of memory, Chinese people can come here to walk calmly and casually," meanwhile, Mr. Huang firmly believes that after the epidemic, Chinatown will resume its former prosperity. "I am confident that the overseas Chinese community is unyielding. When the opportunity comes, it will move forward, this is our hope today." (Huang Dong)