China News Service, February 22 - According to the European Wave Network of Spain, on the evening of February 14, Portuguese television news broadcast a negative report about Chinese businessmen in Portugal: around 3 p.m. that afternoon, Lisbon's government department conducted a joint inspection of a fruit shop operated by Chinese people located in INTENDENTE based on consumer complaints. During the inspection, it was found that the hygiene of the fruit shop did not meet standards, the price tags on the shelves were improperly filled out, and the origin and grade of the fruits were not correctly filled in.
A reporter conducted random interviews with Portuguese customers who were shopping at the fruit shop. One customer said that under the current circumstances of reduced income, he could buy a lot of fruit for very little money in this fruit shop. He would not care whether the labels were properly filled out or if the hygiene met standards; being able to purchase affordable goods was his main concern. Another customer stated that it was unacceptable for the fruit shop to have improperly filled-out labels and unqualified hygiene.
According to witnesses, during the inspection, the female owner of the fruit shop had a verbal conflict with the police. Currently, the fruit shop has already rectified according to the requirements of the government.
After the news aired, Chinese and Indian merchants operating fruit shops near the inspected one became highly alert, conducting self-inspections to prevent surprise inspections by government departments.
According to informed sources, the government department’s inspection was well-prepared. Because the TV station reporters arrived simultaneously with the inspectors. And when the inspection began, the inspectors claimed they were there based on a complaint. Was it a consumer complaint? Or a competitor complaint? The answer remains unknown.
Since 2011, due to the low investment and quick returns of fruit shops, they are increasingly becoming the "new favorite" for Chinese immigrants in Portugal who intend to start their own businesses but lack substantial capital. Fruit shops operated by Chinese businessmen have sprung up like mushrooms after rain throughout Lisbon. The field of fruit shops, which has always been dominated by local Portuguese and Indian immigrants, is now facing significant impact from Chinese businessmen. Why do Portuguese and Indian-run fruit shops remain trouble-free, while Chinese ones, having just started to gain traction, immediately attract attention from Portuguese government departments? This inspection is not isolated. Recently, in the area from the wholesale market to INTENDENTE, the frequency of various law enforcement actions by Portuguese government departments has increased significantly, as has the intensity.
At over 11 p.m., the police still tow illegally parked vehicles on the side of the road; after 10 p.m., traffic police often check vehicles outside the old wholesale market "Huadali Mall"; after 10 p.m., police frequently inspect the immigration status of people at subway stations; several bars on India Street mainly serving black customers are often visited by the police at midnight. These inspections indicate an issue: while the Portuguese government is enforcing fiscal austerity measures as required, it is treating the previously overlooked immigrant economy as a "faucet" to increase fiscal revenue. The relaxed survival environment for all immigrant groups in Portugal has become a thing of the past. The Portuguese government is tightening immigration policies in actual practice and law enforcement.
This "fruit shop inspection" involving Chinese businessmen in Portugal serves as a reminder to Chinese immigrants in Portugal that when doing business in the future, especially entering new fields, they must familiarize themselves with the regulations and laws of Portugal beforehand and operate legally. They should not act blindly.
If government departments come for an inspection, one should treat it with a normal mindset and not be rude. If there are objections to the inspection, those who have hired private lawyers can immediately contact their lawyers to inquire about the legality of the inspection and the legality of the reporter's on-site interview. For those who haven't hired private lawyers, if there are objections to the inspection, they can hire professionals afterward to file complaints. There is one point that must be noted: during the inspection process, if the inspectors ask Chinese businessmen to sign documents, if the businessman cannot understand the content of the document, they have the right not to sign immediately. They can request the presence of a trusted translator to understand the content of the document before signing. This is our right.
In 2012, while the Chinese economy in Portugal struggles to move forward, it must also proactively "pay attention" to whether the Portuguese government will introduce any new "policies" targeting immigrants or the immigrant economy. (Qiu Yuan)