Four Chinese storeowners in the capital of Romania were detained yesterday after a fight broke out between authorities and the storeowners over an alleged misunderstanding, according to a consular with the Chinese embassy in Romania.

The tussle began when taxation authorities on Nov 24 suspended business for 221 stores in two neighboring markets in northeastern Bucharest for apparently lacking certificates stating where their merchandise came from. Authorities also claim that the storeowners were evading tax claims.

A Chinese consular surnamed Li, who would not provide his full name, said over half of the stores in the Niro and Red Dragon markets are owned by Zhejiang Chinese selling small goods, such as clothes and electronic appliances.

Nearly 20,000 Chinese have migrated to Romania seeking business opportunities since the 1990s, most of whom are from Zhejiang, the eastern Chinese coastal province prosperous in small commodities and trade.

The Chinese embassy in Bucharest stepped in to mediate after Nov 24, Li said, and tax authorities sent staff members to the market yesterday to reopen some of the stores. He said many of the owners provided certificates to the authorities within the past few days.

But as tax authorities approached the market, some Chinese storeowners believed that they were coming to close more stores and began to throw boards of wood, sticks and plastic bottles at them. Police arrived to quell the violence and detained four.

Injuries were suffered on both sides but Li did not provide details as to how many were injured.

Li said the problem dates to a conflict that began in early November when the Niro Group, the owner of the Niro and Red Dragon markets, announced that it would charge parking fees for all vehicles, including those of the storeowners.

A protest by the storeowners was staged on Nov 17 and seven days later, the group cut off water and power to the markets.

Further exacerbating the brewing issue between Chinese storeowners and the Niro Group was a decision by the market manager to tear down the Niro Market and move its shop owners to the newer, neighboring Red Dragon Market, said Li Guosheng, who is also from Zhejiang province and has been the head of the Romanian United Chinese Association for over 10 years.

When the Niro Market was initially established, Li Guosheng said, the stores were sold at $7,000 to $8,000 each with permanent ownership, "which was fairly cheap at that time."

"But the market manager refused to compensate shop owners and instead asked them to pay for the new stores at the Red Dragon market," he said.

It is not rare to see disputes between Chinese and people in other countries that they are doing business with, said Zhang Shengjun, deputy dean of Institute of Political Science and International Studies of the Beijing Normal University.

"The most important reason is Chinese businessmen are too benefit-oriented," said Zhang. "We should learn to respect local customs and shoulder corresponding social responsibilities."