Traders urge customers not to desert them over coronavirus concerns, as many of our students remain overseas
About half our Chinese students aren’t here – many are stuck in China because of the travel ban. Their absence is felt deeply by the struggling traders of a barren Chinatown.
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International students stranded in China amid the worldwide coronavirus scare has left Chinatown traders pleading for help to save the struggling city strip.
Traders, who are petitioning the City Council for rate relief, say international students, many of whom cannot leave China because of a travel ban, are their primary source of income. Federal Government data shows about half of the 11,305 Chinese student-visa holders in South Australia are currently outside the country.
It has prompted the Gouger St Traders Association to start a petition, which it will present to Adelaide City Council next month, asking for rate relief and other support, which could include funding to put on a street party to boost confidence.
Gouger St Traders Association president Wayne Chao said students were the main source of income for the street.
He said Chinatown would continue to suffer until travel restrictions were lifted.
“(Students are) a major economic support to traders on Gouger St and the whole Chinatown area,” Mr Chao said.
“Once that restriction is lifted, people will come back.”
The Federal Government’s flight ban, which started earlier this month, denies entry to anyone who has left or transited through mainland China to Australia, with the exception of Australian citizens or permanent residents.
The ban will be reviewed at the end of this week.
Chinatown traders have urged people to get behind their businesses, many of which are almost empty, to help keep them afloat.
Gouger St business Chao Chow opened in November, calling itself a restaurant to help Chinese students feel at home.
However, it has felt the effects of the coronavirus scare and the lack of students in the city.
Manager and chef Johnny Lian, 34, of Magill, has noticed a drop in trade because “everyone is scared”.
“Students are major customers here in Chinatown and if there are no students here, it is very quiet,” Mr Lian said.
“It is safe in here … we want people to come down.”
Chinatown Plaza general manager Jessica Jiang, 33, of Renown Park, said keeping her venue open despite the lack of customers showed the Chinatown precinct was safe.
“We welcome everyone to come here,” Ms Jiang said.
“We are safe … and we need to boost local confidence.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese this week urged people not to avoid Chinese-Australian businesses, as restaurants across the country deal with a similar fall in trade.
Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said: “We are very concerned about xenophobia and any sort of racial profiling, which is completely abhorrent.
“There’s no reason for people to avoid anybody of any particular background or appearance.”
At Adelaide City Council’s last meeting, Cr Simon Hou was set to propose giving rate relief to struggling Chinatown traders.
However, he was told there were already processes in place for all ratepayers facing “hardship”, which could include payment plans.
Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said despite coronavirus fears, Chinatown was “as safe as it is anywhere else in Adelaide”.
“We need to #BookThemOut in our own city as well as the areas that have been affected by bushfires … we want people to support local businesses,” Ms Verschoor said.
Premier Steven Marshall said local businesses had been “needlessly” hit by coronavirus concerns.
“We want to send a clear message that Chinatown is safe and open for business,” Mr Marshall said.
“It’s important that we encourage everyone to keep visiting the precinct … by doing that we can ensure Chinatown continues to thrive.”
SA Government agency StudyAdelaide has been working with universities to ensure international students are supported during the coronavirus scare.
A University of South Australia spokeswoman said international students affected by the travel ban would be offered online study options.
“Additional support for their wellbeing and learning are being offered to each of them,” she said.