Hard times fall on the largest Chinatown in the US

World Today

Chinatown in San Francisco is America’s largest, taking up approximately 28 blocks of the city. It’s also the very first Chinatown in the US. Age appears to be catching up with the historic district. Mark Niu filed this report from San Francisco.

Highlights:

  • Chinatown in San Francisco was once as popular a tourist attraction as the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf, but not these days
  • Due to zoning restrictions, it has been decades since a residential apartment complex has been built in that district.

Kenneth Guest talks about the significance of Chinatowns around the US and the world

CCTV spoke with Kenneth Guest about the historical significance of Chinatowns around the world and why they’re struggling so much today. Guest is a sociology and anthropology professor at the City University of New York. He is also the author of the book God in Chinatown: Religion and Survival in New York’s Evolving Immigrant Community.