Piazza Italia 'closes' amid mounting debts

A dozen suppliers owed a total of about 500,000 yuan expect to be paid today by Piazza Italia, which claims to be the biggest Italian food center outside Italy.

The piazza at the China Central Place in Dawanglu and near the premium department store Shin Kong Place closed suddenly for "refurbishment" last week.

It was once a popular food destination and is owned by the Italian retail chain operator Trading Agro Crai and the Italian government-controlled Simest, a trade promotion group.