Racial Discrimination in China
The day before yesterday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We all know he was famous for opposing racial discrimination. Unfortunately, racial discrimination in China today is far more serious than in the United States. Most Chinese people narrowly define race as white, black, or yellow. Since China is all yellow, they think there’s no racial discrimination here.
Let’s look at the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights definition, via Wikipedia:
Laws consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights typically explicitly oppose distinctions based on race that undermine equal human dignity and rights, defining what constitutes improper “racial discrimination.” According to the UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination:
the term “racial discrimination” shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.
The “ethnic origin” in this clause refers to the birthplace of one or more generations of ancestors, but where the person is a minority in their place of residence based on race. It can also refer to descendants of immigrant families.
So, racial discrimination is everywhere in China. Let me give two simple examples, one official and one民间.
Ethnic policies: giving extra points to ethnic minorities in exams, differential treatment in family planning — these are classic racial discrimination. I’ve always advocated for downplaying the concept of ethnicity. In this global village era, foreigners see all 56 Chinese ethnicities as Mongoloid — they’re all the same. Why the fine distinctions?
Regional discrimination: online regional歧视言论 are everywhere. Let me pick three places I’ve lived. Shandong men are portrayed as garlic-eating wife-beaters. Shanghai men are小 men who wash their wives’ underwear. Hong Kong people are uncivilized monkeys and colonial lackeys. Such言论 are everywhere, and people don’t realize they’re racial discrimination.
I once saw a witty comment online asking whether racial discrimination is serious in America. The answer: “Very serious — almost as bad as China.”
People talk about wanting equality, but there’s still a long way to go.