Spanish businessman questions use of "mafia" in Chinese arrests

MADRID, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- It is improper to use "Chinese mafia" in addressing the 58 people of Chinese origin arrested in a police operation on Tuesday, said a leader of Spanish businesses association in China.

"In the first place, I don't think it is correct to speak of a Chinese Mafia, as the Spanish press are doing, it is slightly racist and there is still no judicial finding on the matter," said Marcelo Munoz.

"If they are a group which have united in order to commit important crimes, then you can call them 'mafia' but it is not a 'Chinese mafia,' as there are people from several countries apparently involved," he said.

Munoz said after 35 years doing business with Chinese people, he found them to be worthy of his full confidence.

"To conclude, I protest because they are speaking about a Chinese mafia, when we should be speaking about a group of Spanish and Chinese criminals," he said.

The prestigious lawyer in the Chinese community in Madrid, Yihong Ji, also said it was not correct to call the detainees of different nationalities a "Chinese Mafia."

On Tuesday, 58 Chinese nationals, 17 Spaniards and nine people from other countries were arrested, accused of organized crime, money laundering and tax evasion among other offenses.

Meanwhile, Margaret Chen, the leader of China Club, an association of Chinese professionals in Spain, called for more objective perception of Chinese people living and working in the country.

They are mostly "modest, diligent and hard-working. That is the image that correctly reflects the way they contribute to the Spanish society," she said.

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