Would you believe I once met Confucius? Yes, Confucius, the Chinese philosopher who lived in the 5th century B.C. It happened on October 2003, during my first trip to New York City. I had gotten lost in Chinatown and ended up wandering into a deserted park. At its centre was a marble statue of a seated Confucius. As I was reading the dedication plaque, a voice spoke to me, “You look lost, friend. How may I help you?” I turned to find an elderly Chinese man who seemed to appear out of nowhere. It’s as if his spirit sensed my distress and took physical form to offer assistance. After explaining my situation, he gave me directions on how to get back to the subway. Well, to make a long story short, I made it safely back to the hotel. And I owe it all to Confucius—at least that’s what I think happened. Yes, I know my story sounds utterly ridiculous… and that’s the point. Because that’s exactly how I feel about the proposal to designate part of Port- of-Spain as a local Chinatown.
This idea was first raised by Mayor Joel Martinez back in May at a ceremony to welcome a visiting delegation from Shanghai. The initiative, according to His Worship, was part of a planned twinning between the two cities that would prioritise economic and social cooperation. He provided an update at the beginning of August, saying that plans were moving ahead. The proposed site would encompass Charlotte Street, from Park Street to Independence Square, with archways to be erected at either end. The first round of public consultations was held last week Monday (September 2nd) which the mayor described as small in size but spirited in conversation. Also in attendance was the MP for the area, Stuart Young, who said that while he was disappointed with the low turnout, “…it always is the few in our communities who lead and take the rest along with them.” Now with all due respect to Mayor Martinez and Minister Young, if their goal is to improve the image and economic potential of the capital, establishing a Chinatown is a hare-brained way of going about it.
Before I continue, let me be clear—I bare no prejudice towards Chinese immigrants or Chinese-owned businesses. This is about an idea that appears fanciful at face value, yet lacks substance below the surface.
First off, “What’s a Chinatown?” These are enclaves existing within non-Asiatic cities that are populated by Chinese people. I know that sounds obvious, but there’s a lot more to it. Traditionally, they sprung up in port cities as a result of Chinese immigrants who were employed in the shipping industry; with some of the oldest in the western hemisphere dating back to the mid-1800s. In other words, these spaces became known as Chinatowns as a result of the influx; what we are hoping to do is the opposite i.e. trying to force one to materialise.
Mayor Martinez admitted as much when he said his objective is, “…to encourage Port-of-Spain to be a hub of restaurants and at the same time a hub for the wholesale of Chinese products throughout the Caribbean and South America.” It’s an ambitious plan…but one that’s based on the hopeful premise of “build it and they will come.” A Chinatown can only feel authentic if it’s predominantly Chinese—ethnically, culturally, and commercially. And so far the only thing authentic about this plan is that the archways will be constructed by the Shanghai Construction Group, probably using Chinese labour.
With this arrangement in mind, it begs the question as to the extent to which the Chinese government is involved. Their ambassador to T&T, Song Yumin, who was present at the ceremony where the plan was first announced, said that it was in keeping with the mandate from the Central Government to strengthen ties between our two countries. Considering our government’s penchant for striking secret deals (remember Sandals), the mayor needs to disclose if Beijing is financing the project; are they paying for it themselves or loaning us the money? Either way, it could grant them some leverage in our domestic affairs. Beyond that, there is also the question of what aligning ourselves with China means for T&T’s global reputation. We’ve already made the questionable choice of maintaining friendly relations with Venezuelan’s Maduro regime. Allowing China to set up an outpost from which they can influence the region signals that we have chosen their side in what is turning out to be a new Cold War between them and the United States. And we’ll be caught right in the middle.
I wish I could have included a quotation from Confucius that would lend weight to my argument. But the truth is I don’t know too much about his work (despite having met him, of course). And perhaps that’s as good a point as any. What does a Chinatown mean to Trinbagonians, and will it add anything of value to downtown Port-of-Spain? I’m not saying it’s a bad idea, but it doesn’t sound like a good one idea either.
It might just end up being a Chinatown in name only; an inferior copy that’s stamped “Made in Trinidad and Tobago.”