Merkel’s visit to cultural street dissatisfying for merchants

2012-02-03 14:43 Ecns.cn

Web Editor: Xu Rui comment

On Thursday afternoon, German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a visit to Nan Luo Gu Xiang, an hisctorical and cultural street in ancient Beijing's downtown area. Merkel says hello to local residents.

Beijing (CNS) -- Part of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's agenda for her recent trip to China was to steer clear of stirring up public attention to the Euro crisis, particularly on her stroll along Beijing's iconic cultural street Nan Luo Gu Xiang on the sunny afternoon of February 2.

Immersed in the 700-year-old surroundings dating back to the Yuan Dynasty, Merkel was fascinated by the well-preserved traditional Chinese atmosphere that greeted her and her entourage.

"We were informed that Merkel would be coming. That was a surprise for us, and we do hope she will stop by our store," Manager Zhangli at a silk store on Nan Luo Gu Xiang told CNS. Experience shows that shops visited by foreign figures suddenly gain considerable fame and are subsequently the benefactors of lengthy queues long afterwards.

However, the great expectations held by alert merchants were not met, and they feel they missed a golden business opportunity. Apparently Merkel didn't 'honor' any of their expectations.

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