A reprehensible countercultural act

(Baonghean)Since September 2012, on Chinese social networking sites such as Sina Weibo, Tengxun Weibo... images of Chinese stores hanging signs discriminating against foreigners have been circulating. These images have caused reactions from both sides.

The restaurant Bach Nien Lo Chu of the “sir” surnamed Vuong, is located near the south gate of the Royal Palace relic site, in Xicheng District, Beijing, China - a place with many tourists. Right at the restaurant door is a sign that says “No Japanese, Filipinos, Vietnamese and dogs are served”. It is not clear when this “reeking” sign of discrimination was put up, but it has caused outrage in the online community.

Ms. Rose Tang, 44 years old, worked for 12 years for CNN and ABC News in Australia, is a journalism professor at Princeton University in the US. Ms. Tang was born and raised in China, currently lives in New York, on February 22, 2013 she visited Beijing and was “shocked by the discrimination”. Four photos of the sign hanging at the restaurant “Lord” Wang, were taken by Ms. Tang with the caption “discrimination tinged with extreme nationalism”, and posted on her Facebook. “I posted the photos on Facebook because I felt it was my responsibility to expose this. I am so sick of this kind of racist, pseudo-patriotic rhetoric in China that I don’t want to hear any more. I am shocked by how blatantly racist it is.”…“During my recent visit to China, I heard many of my friends and even strangers I met on the bus talking about China’s dispute in the Spratly Islands. Everyone was excited about China’s rise, but the funny thing is that every Chinese family I know is trying to send their children to America.”

Ms. Tang hopes that public and press pressure will “teach Mr. Wang and others like him a lesson.” Beijing-based freelance journalist Paul Mooney responded to Ms. Tang’s photo: “The government’s misrepresentation of other countries and distortion of history makes the Chinese ignorant and react like this.”

The racist sign has sparked outrage online. Photo AFP

Since the photo of the Bai Nian Lu Chu Restaurant in Beijing hanging a racist sign was posted online, it has sparked a wave of protests. Guo Rong from California: “The main reason is the nine-dash line that China claims in the East Sea. All three countries, Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam, have protested China over this ridiculous claim. However, the Chinese people have been kept in the dark, making them naively believe that their country is being invaded, not knowing that their country is invading another country.” Yenni Kwok, editor of the International Herald Tribune and editor of Time Magazine, commented: “The politics of the sea has now appeared on the dining table.” Netizen Wenzi Meifengguonianpangshijin commented on Tengxun Weibo: “Whoever shouts that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China will get a 10% discount, whoever says that Japan belongs to China will get a 20% discount.” This is an extreme nationalism expressed through culturally short behavior, which is condemnable.

Responding to the press on February 27 about the above-mentioned discriminatory sign, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez commented: “We believe that the sign posted at the restaurant in Beijing is just an individual’s opinion in the context of the events happening between the Philippines and China. We hope that this is not a national policy to ban Filipinos from eating at restaurants in Beijing.” According to Mr. Hernandez, the DFA has not been reported any cases of Filipinos being discriminated against when eating at Chinese restaurants in Beijing. The DFA spokesperson affirmed that “so far, the incident is only an isolated incident” and “this is the first time such incidents have been reported.”

GMA News (Philippines) reported on the same day that despite removing the racist sign, the restaurant owner, “Mr. Vuong,” still refused to apologize. He only explained that the reason for removing the sign was because it caused too much trouble. He affirmed that no official had contacted him about the sign and that hanging the sign was his own intention.

Responding to Tuoi Tre on February 27, Chinese Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, Trac Loi Minh, said that this is an "extremely isolated phenomenon. There are bad people everywhere." According to Mr. Trac, this action is "wrong" and "certainly not appropriate." He also emphasized that this "does not represent the majority of the people nor the government's stance." When asked why the sign had been there for a long time but the Chinese government had not reacted, Mr. Trac said the government did not know about this. "We do not know the specifics." When asked if Tuoi Tre provided the restaurant's address, would the Chinese government take any action, Mr. Trac said he was only the Consul General, not the government or the market management force (???).

Symphony