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THE PUBLISHER OF Chinese national carrier Air China’s in-flight magazine has apologised for allegedly “racist” travel advice offered to passengers visiting London, as mainland social media users rushed to defend the controversial tips.
The latest issue of Wings of China ran an article detailing safety tips to travellers based on the race and nationality of local residents.
“London is generally a safe place to travel, however precautions are needed when entering areas mainly populated by Indians, Pakistanis and black people,” the article said in English translation below a Chinese text, according to a photograph published by CNBC.
We advise tourists not to go out alone at night, and females always to be accompanied by another person when travelling.
The Chinese version was worded slightly differently, stating that such neighbourhoods were “comparatively more chaotic” — an adjective often used to describe dangerous areas.
The English translation prompted London MP Virendra Sharma, who emigrated from India to Britain in the 1960s, to complain to the Chinese government.
“I am shocked and appalled that even today some people would see it as acceptable to write such blatantly untrue and racist statements,” he said in an online statement.
I have raised this issue with the Chinese ambassador, and requested that he ensures an apology is swiftly forthcoming from Air China, and the magazine is removed from circulation immediately.
In a Chinese-language statement today, the publisher attributed the “inappropriate descriptions” to editorial errors, stating that they were at odds with the “original intention to actively promote the beautiful scenery of London”.
It described itself as a third-party organisation, although Air China’s own website describes the magazine as “an authoritative information resource of Air China Group and Air China”.
SheThePeople / Twitter.@airchina printed these #racist instructions in their Wings of China magazine:https://t.co/UuNR0x6C5Y pic.twitter.com/UjpiIg8HWB
— SheThePeople (@SheThePeople) September 8, 2016
The publisher apologised that the text had “misled” a number of media outlets and readers and damaged Air China’s brand image.
But on Chinese social media, most commenters expressed bafflement at the backlash.
In a common refrain, one user of China’s Twitter-like Weibo platform asked:
This is just stating the truth — what is there to apologise about?
Another queried: “There are more rapists and robbers there anyway -– why is saying this discriminatory?”
Many said they felt the advice was valuable.
“We can’t satisfy everyone, but we certainly must put Chinese people’s safety first,” one user stated.
Discussion and public awareness of racism in China is notoriously low — often resulting in viral scandals that spark global outrage beyond the Great Firewall but cause nary a whimper of concern within the mainland.
In May, an ad by a Chinese detergent maker depicting a black man stuffed into a washing machine and transformed into a fair-skinned Asian stoked outcry abroad, initially dismissed by the company as overly sensitive.
‘Politically correct’
China often portrays itself as the victim of discrimination at the hands of foreign media, and many on Weibo expressed indignation at what they saw as hypocritical finger-pointing from those in the West.
“We don’t owe black people, Indians or Pakistanis anything; we never trafficked slaves or colonised India and Pakistan,” wrote one user, adding:
So go die, all you politically correct people.
The controversy comes during a period of tension between Beijing and London.
British Prime Minister Theresa May returned to London this week from the G20 summit hosted by China, where she defended her decision to delay giving the go-ahead to a nuclear power project in which Beijing has substantial investment.
China has a one-third stake in the plan to build Britain’s first nuclear plant in decades at Hinkley Point in southwest England, along with French company EDF.
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But how can they be racist? They’re not “white”.
They only talk to you if your buying something off them. They should be drove out.
along with people who can’t drove english
” drove English” what are you talking about you clown.
Yep…The Black Lives movement would claim you must be white male to ne racist and to check your privillage..
Cultural Marxism with the fear of nazism has brainwashed generations.
Hopefully one day you’ll be able to be white and have pride in your community and cultural. The biggest group discriminated against in the western world is the white working class christian.
@ John Bennet. Iv been saying it for a long time, we are coming back and we will defeat communism and liberalism and bring proper values and conservatism to our country.
“So go die, all you politically correct people”
The ‘pussy generation’ won’t like that.
Sits back, opens popcorn and waits for Fintan and Michael to arrive.
You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Can never win with the Pussy Generation.
I felt a great disturbance on the internet, as if millions of people were suddenly triggered.
Big storm blowing in from Asia i believe.
They’ll be along shortly. They need to collect themselves first after their attack of the vapours.
In years gone by, each new generation was seen as wild, almost degenerate, by their elders. This new generation, not so much. Shower of wet dishcloths.
@Patrick.
Ain’t that the truth.
No matter how the deck stacks up they’ll find an opportunity for outrage.
Yup. The first Generation ever who tell their parents to behave.
@Clever.
I’m staying on the right side of the Chinese. They own the world.
… and a great bunch of lads too Joey.
@clever make. Looks like you also got an attack of the vapours. You’ll be fine once you come down of that high horse.
@Jake
I’m an atheist, and I’m not a homophobe. I don’t support Trump, per se, but I would like to see the apple cart turned upside down. I think it has to be done, let the chips fall where they may.
@biccus discus. I’m not a Trump fan either but I would like to see an end to the Soros/Goldman Sachs/Peter Sutherland/Obama/Clinton/Merkel/junker axis/cabal call it what you will, but if trump is the man to end this disastrous (for Europe) consensus, then hopefully he will win.
We disagree on many issues, but I stand with them, Jake.
that isn’t the vernacular Margaret
@ margie How dare you talk to him like that? This is really really really not nice at all. You resort to insult when somebody disagrees with you. *sobs* You are not mentally ill. I take it back. You’re just an idiot.
……and I two words for you Prouesse. Pot and kettle.
@Clever Jake
Speaking of Donald Trump’s legions might as well include the Chinese Social Media Legion which is Gung Ho for Donald Trump and getting bigger and better. You”ll like the one saying Donald Trump displayed a ‘Majestic Demeanour’ on stage ,day 1 RNC.
-
In a late March poll of 3,330 Global Times readers, 54 percent of respondents said they supported a Trump presidency—well above the 36 percent of Americans who currently do. On Weibo, China’s Twitter-like micro-blogging website, there are at least 10 Trump fan groups with over a thousand followers—these include “Trump Fan Club”(1,667 followers), “Trump: Light of the World” (3,445 followers), and “Trump Commentary” (2,706 followers). One fan tweeted that Trump displayed a “majestic demeanor” when he took the stage the first day of the Republican National Convention.
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2016/07/22/what-do-chinese-people-have-to-say-about-donald-trump/
-
Wan Shang Hao
@ margie Poor poor Margie. You’re so stupid that you have to rely on me, a “Muslim foreigner” according to your words, to learn idioms in your own language. Lol That must hurt you badly.
Never called you a foreigner. Ever. Now I wish you would take your unhealthy sick little obsession with me and jog on.
@ margie I’m not obsessed by you. I’m sick of your stupid comments. I understand you agree you’re an idiot since you didn’t contradict that part of my comment. Good! That’s step 1 achieved. Now step 2 is to help you understand being is not cool. (I wish myself good luck! )
Clever Jake, my dog is named Jake and he is smarter than you!
@clever jake. I know the difference. Doesn’t change the fact that you have a massive stick up your
a$$!
Clever.
Safe space time for I think
Here’s Trump the racist as you say receiving an immigration award along side Rosa Parks and Muhammad Ali.. How racist of him eh.. not so clever? — https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CrWXsdpUAAEl4r1.jpg
That is weally weally waysist!
And also weally weally funny!
Wong on so many levels
Areas like Newham and Hamlet Towers are considerably more dangerous than the likes of Hornchurch or Upminster.
These places sound made up
Tower Hamlets even?
Speak English! We ain’t scientists doc!
Hamlet Towers? C’mon now – did you just start Googling places in London?
Sound advice
So I hear your a racist now father?
Zzzz
If Zimbabwe had a sizeable white population, and the areas where they predominately lived were more criminal and violent on average…
Would it be racist for the Chinese to suggest that passengers be cautious of white areas in Zimbabwe?
Yes
…sure we all look the same to the Chinese I’m sure …lols….
Certain areas of London are a bit risky and at night all cats are black!
If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, quacks like a duck……
It’ll be on the menu.
‘Allegedly racist’ you say?
Not as bad as the ad where they put a black man in the washing machine and he came out white.
@Chris lynch: Nah, he’s not white!
Disappointed….I was expecting a bluier white.
How ironic for the subject…Thats actually korean
Definitely racist.
As travel advice, it may be accurate and fair enough to tell people to avoid certain crime ridden areas regardless of who has been ghettoised there.
It’s not their concern if the residents are offended, provided the crime figures back it up. But the wording of this is crazy, it implies that these races are automatically criminal.
I have a daughter working in China, there’s a black English guy in her job who can only get a taxi when the others are with him because the taxis just won’t stop if he’s on his own. Insular thinking I suppose.
They are a gas bunch over there..
I wonder what they’d say about Dublin? “The majority of the population is White but a large proportion of those are involved in criminality, drugs and gangs. Avoid the Northside at all costs.”
It’s OK to ‘call it like it is’ about race but I wonder if people would be so open to looking at their own city and being honest about the fact that the crime and murder rates are higher than London?
No dogs or Irish are of any concern anymore it seems. There are always one or more groups treated as untouchables all through history. We are a conflicted species!
@joe hill,
“No blacks, no dogs, no Irish” is just an urban myth.
It is an urban myth . Couple of years ago an irish journalist into this and it did not exist .
First off, anyone who is actually a Londoner will laugh – Indians, Pakistanis and black people live all over the place. How much of the city are they warning people to steer clear from? Secondly, it clearly IS racist – it’s telling people to avoid areas based on the ethnic origin of those who live there. Nothing to do with crime stats. This isn’t just hysteria on the part of Generation Safe-Space. And that response from the Weibo user is barrel-scraping at its lowest – presumably I’m entitled to advocate avoiding Jewish areas on the grounds that the UK wasn’t involved in the Holocaust? Pathetic stuff.
Advertising…Michael O’Leary style…
Very perceptive point, Kev.
Even if only one Chinese in a thousand were an ignorant and malicious racist, that’s a lot of people like our Joey. Except the Chinese are generally also hard-working and nowadays affluent enough to travel as well. And of course women there can have an abortion if they believe it is the best course for them in their circumstances.
A top Chinese official was being interviewed and, as is often the case, had smooth answers to every question.
The reporter became frustrated and said: “I suppose the next thing you’ll try to tell me is that you have elections in China.
The official replied: “But we celtainly have. In fact it’s a vely big ploblem; too many elections evely night.”
very true
They actually meant Ireland.
Oh
Yawn…
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