Recently, all the street shops in Chaozhou and Shantou in Guangdong Province have shut down, and even factories have closed their doors. The bustling streets have suddenly become unusually quiet, sparking heated discussions about the reasons behind this situation.
Longyan South Night Market in Jinping District of Shantou City is one of the most famous night markets in the area. A “Longyan South Night Market Stall Group” with 58 members announced that “from the 22nd to the 28th of this month, all stalls using open flames have been asked to rest at the request of the higher authorities.”
On November 22nd, a netizen who visited Chaozhou for tourism mentioned that about 80% of the shops on Xima Road and Paifang Street were closed, with only a few businesses opening at night.
According to a notice issued by Chaozhou City on the Netease account “Volcano Poetry,” local authorities have required businesses to ensure fire safety, environmental protection, and hygiene in preparation for the upcoming “national examination.” Those found non-compliant need to suspend production for a few days, with a fine of 50,000 yuan for violations, and even face factory closures upon inspection.
Following the notice, businesses and enterprises in the Chaoshan region seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement and many chose to directly shut down and refuse inspections. Overnight, the streets were deserted. A netizen from Chaozhou remarked that Paifang Street in Chaozhou is quieter these days than during the pandemic, providing a rare opportunity for a peaceful stroll to relax.
Online videos showed that shops along the streets were closed, including not only restaurants but also tea houses, phone shops, and more. Many shops posted notices saying, “Pig feet were stolen, taking a day off,” “Couple had a fight, taking a day off, will reopen only after reconciliation,” “Afraid of ghosts, taking a day off,” and so on.
Apart from shops closing down, some factories’ workers also took time off. The collective closure of businesses in the Chaoshan area caught the attention of “higher authorities.” A day later, local authorities in Chaozhou urgently issued another notice, requiring town leaders to liaise with enterprise executives to resume normal operations. There should be no intentional shutdowns or refusals of inspections without valid reasons or objective causes. Leaders must be present with enterprises for inspections; otherwise, both leaders and businesses will be held accountable.
In response, many local netizens expressed their opinions. “It’s not that we don’t cooperate with the inspections, but once we are inspected and found non-compliant, we will be fined tens of thousands of yuan. How can ordinary people bear that? We can accept inspections and rectifications, but no one can afford the fines.” “Nowadays, building inspections are under the Construction Bureau and usage inspections are under the Safety Supervision Bureau. What’s most unbearable is that the requirements for the same matter during building acceptance and usage inspections are different!” “Shop owners believe that if their businesses lose money one day and shut down, leading to bankruptcy, no one will pity or help them. So, they no longer have the energy to open their shops and perform for others.”
The news has sparked heated discussions online. Many netizens from various regions commented, “Good for them.” “Just eating a fine for a year without business can only hide.” “Life is hard, who can afford fines?” “Smart people are shutting down their businesses.”
Some remarked, “Business is good; some are envious.” “Over-zealous law enforcement has led to these incidents.” “Natural disasters and man-made calamities are causing suffering for the ordinary people.” “The authorities are becoming increasingly distant from the masses.” “They have salaries and benefits, regardless of the life and death of the grassroots people.” “Various industries are on the brink of collapse.”