Newcastle Chinese community speaks out about prejudice and racial treatment during pandemic

With global economies coming to a grinding halt, exposing people to immense financial insecurities during the COVID-19 pandemic; thereby directly increasing pressure on people who were now confined to their homes. Resulting in many positives but adversely, many negatives. Such as the mistreatment or better yet, ill-treatment of Chinese people within Newcastle’s business sector.

This illness, unlike COVID-19, is not one which is biological in it’s nature but is just as lethal and contagious. One which leaves devastation in its wake and leads to innocent people being harmed or worse, killed. The infection which is proving just as fatal as COVID-19, is that of hatred.

Over recent months, Newcastle’s Chinese community has been exposed to immense hate. An abhorrence which has seen the loss of two lives, business closure, verbal abuse, and vandalism.

But when did this vile animosity towards Newcastle’s Chinese community begin?

Assisting in offering some much-needed insight into this pressing topic, local Chinese business owner and councillor, Alex Liu says, “I would say the hatred shown towards the Chinese community really began in April and May, due to the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s Temporal Employee Relief Scheme Benefits (UIF TERS).”

Liu says due to misunderstandings, fake news and certain political figures misleading people, several factory employees and community members found themselves caught up in a whirlwind of repugnance.

Going on to say, “Other factory owners and I have got into contact with the Department of Labour, so they can elaborate and clarify the misunderstandings to the employees. Also, if employees do have an issue with their employers, there are other steps to take, such as going to CCMA or approaching the Department of Labour.”

While the Department of Labour has sent a team to investigate the issues between Chinese business owners and their employees, Liu says it is too late.

“There have been incidents where business owners had substantial damage caused to their property. One factory owner came out of his business, only to find his car smashed and tyres slashed,” Liu says.

Acts of vandalism started in May, which he says was merely the calm before the storm, seeing matters escalate when a factory owner was brutally murdered in his factory on July 26. Strangled and beaten with a hammer, his murder left the Chinese community in a state of shock.

Following the senseless killing, a mass protest took place on July 27, with hundreds of people marching in protest against the Chinese factory owners.

With the above chaos in mind and adding to the Chinese community’s plight, Liu stresses, Chinese people have also been accused of spreading the disease to their employees. Stating, “To date, about seven to nine factories closed temporarily due to the coronavirus. Furthermore, 30 Chinese residents contracted the virus and none of these people had any travel history. This means they got sick in Newcastle and not from international travel.”

While still reeling from the murder and the mass protest in July, the Chinese community were horrified when another factory owner was killed on 16 August 2020. He and his wife were brutally stabbed by employees. Dying shortly after the attack, the victim’s wife was left fighting for her life in ICU.

“There are also the verbal insults from employees which factory owners must now endure,” Liu says, adding the factory owners often remain silent out of fear for their lives.

A member of the community went as far as to put an image of a Newcastle factory owner fumigating his business premises onto social media, with a caption underneath it, reading: “I hate this Chinese to hell with them.”

Regarding forward movement, “The Department of Labour has finally sent a team, but the damage is already done. Nothing will be the same as before. Tensions and mistrust are running high, with certain factory owners now shutting their factories down. Others are talking of relocating. Fortunately, the community is still civilised enough that our children have not been victimised,” Liu states.

Facing immense pressure and hate Liu concludes in saying, it is difficult for Chinese business owners to plan future endeavours. “There is so much uncertainty, that we can’t say what is going to happen. But I believe the government and municipality need to start looking at securing more investment, as there are going to be more job losses.”.

As Chinese residents bear the brunt of hatred, leaving them looking to greener pastures, is misdirected hatred going to result in mass job losses? Is ignorance going to result in Newcastle’s clothing and textile industry crashing? Unless people can overcome their obliviousness, this is a harsh reality Newcastillians will be facing. 

Authors: Quinton Boucher and Calvin Swemmer

Edited: Calvin Swemmer