Walter Finch
A CHINESE citizen living in Spain has shed light on why Chinese immigrants tend to open the now-ubiquitous bazaars and bars.
In a revealing TikTok video user @jiajunyin3 candidly explained the harsh economic realities facing new Chinese immigrants and why these businesses are the best option for them.
Since arriving in Spain during the 1990s, Chinese-run bazaars and bars have cropped up in every town and city, so much so that they essentially become part of the cultural fabric.
But on arrival for new Chinese immigrants, it is the language barrier that emerges as the first challenge which holds them back.
With minimal Spanish skills, traditional employment becomes nearly impossible and only the lowest-paid jobs are available.
“If they work for others without language skills, they’ll only get poorly paid jobs,” the TikToker explains. “And for that much money, they might as well stay in China.”
Instead, these entrepreneurs have found that bazaars and bars require minimal linguistic expertise – often just knowing how to understand drink orders or point and say ‘over there’ suffices.
Moreover, these businesses offer a low-risk entry point into the Spanish economy as they are surprisingly profitable and much of the stock comes cheap from their home country.
Chinese-run bazaars, particularly, benefit from direct import connections, allowing them to offer competitively priced goods.
Community solidarity also plays a crucial role. Chinese immigrants frequently support each other financially, with established residents lending startup capital to newcomers.
This network transforms individual challenges into collective opportunities.
The strategy isn’t just about survival – it’s become a successful business model.
The TikTok video, which has garnered over 36,000 likes, demonstrates the growing public interest in understanding these entrepreneurial journeys which have reshaped the local commercial landscape of Spain.
