Spainards pist at cheap Chinese shoes torch warehouse, demonstrate

Last week saw demonstrations and arson against Chinese business interests in Elche, Spain when locals erupted over what they considered unfair competition in the shoe trade.

The story is all over the Chinese media and I found one Australian link, but so far, not much, if any visibility in Western media.

This from Bignewsnetwork

On Thursday, around 500 people demonstrated in the Carrus industrial zone at Elche, Spain chanting "Chinese out" and torched the warehouse of a Chinese shoe shop and a container causing losses of 800,000 euros (US$984,000).

Protests continue in a Spanish center of shoe manufacturing over two Chinese-owned companies.

The BBC reports that hundreds of people joined demonstrations Friday in Elche. Last week, protesters set fire to two warehouses and a truck belonging to Chinese companies.

Spanish shoemakers say that Chinese manufacturers have been undercutting them on price and, even worse, in some cases selling their goods even more cheaply on the black market without paying tax.

The violence has angered the Chinese government, which has demanded compensation and protection for its citizens in Spain

.Chinese Online Media Coverage:
China Daily
Ministry of Foreign Affairs