Political correctness in Chinese Foreign Ministry's Press Conference

When Qin Gang, the spokesman for Chinese Foreign Ministry, was answering a question raised by a journalist about whether Obama will meet with Dalai Lama, his answer was funny, but probably normal for Chinese.

Dalai Lama was the head of Tibetan slavery system. In 1959, China abolished slavery in Tibet, which was the same as what President Lincoln did in 1863. As a black man, President Obama should understand China's policy and stop supporting Dalai Lama.

Tibet before 1959 was a slavery. This is basically the fact. But linking this to race shows Chinese people's insensibility to racial issues. Even the Foreign Ministry's spokesperson, who should be most careful before uttering any word, would make this kind of statement.

Indeed, racial problem is new to Chinese. When a half-Chinese, half-African-American girl took part in a reality show, what she faced were jeers. In 1988, before the before Tiananmen square protest, there was an anti-African demonstration in Hehai University in Nanjing just because some Africans had Chinese girlfriends.

Chinese are generally hospitable, and they are very nice to foreigners. But the thing is they don't want you to join their family. This is not an issue limited to China. In Korea and Japan, foreigners are also complaining it's hard to be accepted by the society. But if China is able to continue its growth, more foreigners will come to China, and even there will be some immigrants. The society will face the test and I hope the mentality will change.