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CNN: Chinese Hate Black People
By CNN
A Caucasian American businessman gets into a cab in Beijing.
At first he’s relieved– the last few taxis passed straight by him, which is not unusual– it can be difficult for non-Chinese nationals to get a cab. But then comes an uncomfortable question from the driver: “Isn’t it difficult living in a country with so many black people?”
A question that highlighted another issue: while non-Chinese nationals can have trouble getting a cab, it can be even worse for those with darker skin.
Project manager Kris Derban has lived in China for eight years. He long suspected that taxis were not picking him up because he is an African-American. Recently his suspicions were confirmed when he asked a driver why he had hesitated to take him. “The driver said, ‘I worry Africans will run off and not pay.’”
But catching a cab isn’t the only problem. Another common misconception Derban has to contend with is that he is a drug dealer, he said. “I’ll be with a group of friends and someone specifically comes up to ask me if I have drugs. At first I was offended. Now I tease them and say: ‘No, do you have drugs?’”
Derban laughs off such incidents, finding humor in the ignorance. Others have been less fortunate.
Liberian student David Johnson moved to China just two months ago. He said he has already been subjected to several racist remarks. “One time I was walking down the street and someone called me a stupid black c***,” he reported.
“Maybe it was because I was with a Chinese girl and they don’t like that.”
An Indian businessman at a wholesale market in Yiwu, China, where tensions flared between Indian and Chinese traders earlier this year.
Reports of this kind of racism date back to when Africans were first welcomed into China to study at Chinese universities in the 1960s. And in 1988, a violent, 300-strong mob broke into an African students’ dormitory at Nanjing University and destroyed their possessions while chanting “down with the black devils.”
The number of Africans and foreigners living in China has risen significantly since then. Communities have grown up in major cities such as Guangzhou, where 20,000 Africans now live, according to official figures. Some scholars, trying to account for the number of undocumented migrants, put the estimate at around 200,000.
However, “even in those cities where there is now a concentration of black people, still most Chinese have little to no contact with them,” said Barry Sautman, a professor of social sciences at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology who specializes in the issue of race in China. As such, their ideas about blacks are largely shaped by the media, Sautman, said, adding, “In the media, Africa is portrayed as a house of horrors, with a huge number of people dying from diseases, wars and extremely high crime rates.”
Cultural bias against dark skin
But it is not just Africans and those of African descent who report prejudices in China; others with darker skin are also affected.
Hatim Shah from Mumbai in India has worked in finance in China for six years. He recalled Beijing’s visa crackdown on foreigners working or living illegally in the city around the time of the 2008 Olympics.
“I was set to move into a house, but when I went with the landlord to the police station to register, he told me I couldn’t live there because the police didn’t want brown people in the vicinity,” he recalled. “My white South African roommate had no problem.” Although Shah believes the situation has since improved, he still feels that “if you are brown here, you are not equal.”
He added: “They assume dark skinned people are doing something dodgy. If there’s a white person in the room, they’d rather speak to the white person.”
Paler skin has historically been prized in China and much of Asia. Even today skin-lightening products remain popular.
“Conversely, darker skin is associated with being a peasant,” said Sautman. “So, if you think peasants are oafish and backwards, you associate darker skin with that.”
I’ll be with a group of friends and someone specifically comes up to ask me if I have drugs
Kris Derban, project manager
However, experts say, just because there is a historic prejudice against dark skin in China, it was never a given that this prejudice would automatically translate into prejudice against races with darker skins. Sautman believes that type of prejudice was imported from the West.
“It was imported as early as the 1880s by Chinese intellectuals exposed to the Western racist literature. During the Maoist era, expressing such ideas fell out of fashion. Instead, the state promoted the idea that the Chinese should join Africans and rise up together against the white imperialists,” said Sautman. But from the beginning of China’s reform era from the late 1970s, some Western ideas were allowed to flood back in.
While the Chinese government maintains there is no racisim here– many clearly beg to differ. But they say, given that racism seems less historically entrenched in China than in the West, there is hope it can be stamped out more easily.
The ‘Obama effect’
Some non-Chinese nationals say the election of U.S. President Barack Obama and the growing number of black sports stars playing for Chinese teams – such as basketball’s Stephon Marbury and footballer Didier Drogba – has helped change perceptions.
A study conducted by Yunying Zhang at Austin Peay State University and Alexis Tan at Washington State University showed that negative stereotypes held about African-Americans– for example, that they were ‘violent’, ‘loud’ or ‘aggressive’ — were less likely to be held by Chinese people after President Obama’s election. Meanwhile Africans and African-Americans living in China report that since the election, Chinese people they meet are now more likely to bring up the president or the latest athlete signed to a Chinese team than mention negative stereotypes.
Real-life encounters with ordinary Africans and African-Americans also play a part in dispelling racist myths. In a study of attitudes in Guangzhou, Sautman found a correlation between Chinese people actually living and working with Africans and having a more positive attitude towards the African community there.
Derban, for his part, said: “I try to present myself in such a way that I always leave a good impression. The racism here might be blatant, but, unlike the West, because it’s not hidden, I know what I am dealing with. I can openly talk to people about it and help change impressions.”
Loretta Evans, an African-American who has been in China for eight years feels the same. “Yes, I’ve sometimes had people stare or touch my skin, as if to see whether it’s going to rub off,” she said. “But I think this comes from curiosity not negativity. Here I don’t feel the racial tension I feel back home. I’ve done things, such as setting up my own geophysics company, which as I black woman I might not have been able to do in the States.
“Yes, I’m treated differently from Chinese people. But here I’m different first, black second.”
CNN
Posted by Editor
on July 24, 2012. Filed under INTERNATIONAL NEWS.
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chilu04
July 24, 2012 at 3:48 pm
even us black hate them 50:50
MAYAMIKO
July 24, 2012 at 3:53 pm
actually we hated them before they hated us.
shanjina
July 24, 2012 at 3:57 pm
People fear Black pipo bcoz they Are STRONG and self Possesed no wonder we r RULING the World thru Obama. talk of Micheal Jordan, Michael Jackson , Rihanna almost the STARS not 4geting Nelly my favourite….can to ma nchonchori Rule the word.
king
July 24, 2012 at 3:58 pm
who dosent
Fanny*
July 24, 2012 at 3:58 pm
They are all over the copperbelt. What are they doing then, if they hate blacks!
boonse
July 24, 2012 at 3:58 pm
The Chaps refused to cut my hair at the baber shop because i was black. I ended up buying my own hair cripper
Linda
July 24, 2012 at 4:22 pm
i totally agree with the cabs not stopping for black people, totally experienced it in Beijing first hand
the Sea Eagle
July 24, 2012 at 4:54 pm
every race only feels comfortable in the presence of their own kind.The only people who make me feel at home with them are my fellow africans.
Davido
July 24, 2012 at 5:25 pm
bachifita we even hate ourselves.Walk into our banks with a white man.See who will be more respected.
Narrant
July 24, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Read recently where some blogger was proposing Zambia surrenders the Bank of Zambia to chinese infestors. A case of brain-washed.
Madala
July 24, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Ba tumfweko where is my comment?
Ichifukufuku
July 24, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Its not hate, they are just jealous of black people being blessed with weapons of mass destruction (imizompiki). Especially somalians, senegalese, bakalubale, masai warriors, mwachusa and not forgetting our very own lozis called abanyengo. Mine is not bad its just a ka 22inch machine.
melody
July 24, 2012 at 7:24 pm
utu ma choncholi with yr little baby dicks,who likes yr nonsense anyway.Coming to zambia and thinking youre whites.Appauling work conditions and abusing of underage girls,the list goes on and on.Pack up and go and serve yr remaining jail senntences in yr smoke infested dog eating country.We know youre all jail birds forced to work in africa.Pack yr rags and vamoose PASOPO
umu bemba nkonko
July 24, 2012 at 7:33 pm
Ive actually experienced racism first hand in the city of shanghai.Power of an african indeed.
mule
July 24, 2012 at 8:12 pm
if i was chinese i will hate blacks more so zambian blacks we are distructive see how how dirty we are look at our cities full of dirty shame on us
GUN
July 24, 2012 at 9:35 pm
I thought i was the the only one that hate these chines insects spreading allover the world. Fu€k!
yalmaz
July 24, 2012 at 9:39 pm
those tiny eyes can never see beauty in africans all they see is our money
kakolwe
July 25, 2012 at 7:43 am
its a liee! Chinese only hate Bembas & Tongas!!
Candela
July 25, 2012 at 7:58 am
Who cares?
gogo
July 25, 2012 at 8:49 am
“Yes, I’m treated differently from Chinese people. But here I’m different first, black second.” you’ve said it all my sister!!!!!
mukombe
July 25, 2012 at 9:40 am
Sometimes even us we potray ourselves as a nuisance. Look at our politicians, look at our poverty very high and we think street vending and economic empowerment is the answer. Those who are empowered drink all the money in Hotels and pubs. Ukutumpa efwe bachifita we love poverty and all our ideas lead to poverty.
LOZI KID
July 25, 2012 at 10:00 am
this is very sad
Bashi Tasha
July 25, 2012 at 10:00 am
they are not likable characters as well u know they look and speak funny
Bashi Tasha
July 25, 2012 at 10:11 am
@davido thats very true and embarrasing at the same time, imagine the inferiority complex
Charlie Saykes
July 25, 2012 at 10:52 am
@ Shanjina,
Obama and Rihanna are not black but of mixed race or rather ma Kaladi. When ma kaladi achieve good things you call them black when they do wrong things you want draw a line to seperate black from colored. How unfortunate!
DEMONEY
July 25, 2012 at 12:01 pm
CHINESE RAPE!!! OR RAPE CHINESE!!!
buck
July 25, 2012 at 12:10 pm
**** chinese……who gives a shit to those round faced twits.i hate them too
Kwa george
July 25, 2012 at 12:27 pm
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE EAST DOESN’T LIKE THE COOPERATION CHINA HAS WITH AFRICA.
willard
July 25, 2012 at 12:37 pm
insecure b*tches all over the globe either black,coloured,chinesse call it whatever o we need is harmony without feeling superior toward the other race.
pipes23
July 25, 2012 at 12:58 pm
where is the gospel?their is so much hatred.
accurator
July 25, 2012 at 1:57 pm
we even fear other races in our own country because of our up bringing,we need a change 1st with our mindsets as blacks i do hope the coming generations change or even ours but it is decayed
Tasila
July 25, 2012 at 2:24 pm
If they hate black popeple how came sell
their product including f/stuffs.
witchcraft
July 25, 2012 at 3:56 pm
kutulowa fye one by one
RB
July 25, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Tumachinise ar so selfish dats why one of em 4got his boxer wit Dorika becoz he didn’t want 2 pay da fare he was charged. They want free sex frm blacks. **** thoz round faced shapeless twits!
magwazavi
July 25, 2012 at 7:02 pm
Who likes them anyway? tuma chocholi
Munalian
July 25, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Ala twali tumpa now if they hate blacks wat ‘ll they gain nothing,they can get lost black iz beautiful………………
mali
July 26, 2012 at 9:28 am
HATRED
WOOOOH, HEAR WHAT CHRISTIANS ARE SAYING, GOD FOGIVE US
asevu
July 26, 2012 at 9:31 am
different colours,one people.4 give them
Xihing
July 26, 2012 at 10:34 am
Me no hate blackie.Blackie is number one big pussy,Big dick me love blackie long time
pavel
July 26, 2012 at 2:07 pm
there saying that they hate us because will like begging from them.even us we are rich the problem is that we like begging from other countries,let’s stop that we have some resources here in zambia.
Mundea
July 27, 2012 at 8:43 am
Its not true.Chinese people love Bembas,but hate Tongas
bruce Lee
July 27, 2012 at 9:23 am
@charlie; iwe ka rihanna is 100% black!
bilken
July 27, 2012 at 12:03 pm
who gives a f**k anyway?
T I P
July 27, 2012 at 2:31 pm
chinese chines
Kaesha
July 28, 2012 at 6:45 pm
I wonder how they look like when naked. Honestly they mesmerise me i never gave enough thought to those things unless when it comes to those Bruce Lee tacktics otherwise they do not bother me, i just see them as something just something. What i hate is the fullness they want to feel when around black people, but i just laugh at them and pray for them as Mark 11 would say. Anyway bashikulu baSata balilandile. Nondo takomaila apafye ninshi pali ubulema.