Even though many locals don’t celebrate Christmas, one Chinese man was drawn into the celebrations against his will; and not in a pleasant way. A foreign man was having dinner in a Japanese restaurant on Christmas eve when we lit up a cigarette in the non-smoking section of the establishment. A local man, dining nearby asked him to stop smoking as it was forbidden. The foreign man began a heated exchange with him where after the local man called the police and waited for them to deal with the rowdy foreigner.
The police arrived on the scene and arrested both men. Back at the police station the police decided not to keep the man in custody but rather to educate him on the laws of restaurants and the principle of common courtesy.
Source: http://news.online.sh.cn/news/gb/content/2013-12/26/content_6599518.htm
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Keywords: Foreign man arrested after argument with local man about smoking in a restaurant
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Really is this the best article you can come up with to stir up anti-foreign sentiment? Is there nothing you can write that promotes good relations between the Chinese and other nationalities?
Jan 03, 2014 11:42 Report Abuse
If i could have 1 RMB for every time some "local" smokes in the hospital, company toilet, taxi, non smoking area of a building i would be rich.
Jan 01, 2014 20:32 Report Abuse
You know what, I am totally fine with acting properly and civilized but I expect the same in turn from the same people who ask it of me. I don't respect hypocrites and we shouldn't be singled out for headlines because we are "foreigners". China is the land of contradictions... remember that and try to keep your sanity.
Dec 29, 2013 00:18 Report Abuse
Just to reiterate what Robk said. It's okay when the Chinese do it, but the world comes to a slamming halt if a foreigner does it. For practical reasons, it makes living in China that much more problematic for foreigners. For example, how are you expected to get on or off a crowded bus without slipping into the Chinese role of using your elbows and backpack to force your way on or off the bus? If I used my foreigner manners to pardon my way, then I would miss my bus stop every day! The commenters above who said we should respect Chinese laws would probably argue that we should also respect Chinese customs and culture as well. Well, I would argue that being rude and ruthless is as much a part of Chinese culture as eating "tang yuan" during the holidays. I think that a healthy defiance of Chinese regulations is not only normal, but also a full embracement of Chinese culture and traditions. It is a healthy reaction to an overly bureaucratic and corrupt system. The foreigner who thinks righteously and tries to change Chinese culture through being a proper role model, is experiencing the third stage of denial, "bargaining" (attempt to change). They haven't reached the fifth stage, "acceptance." If you think that your foreign manners will benefit you here in China, then GOOD LUCK to you. You'll be the first to be cheated and taken advantage of. Remember, martyrdom is not exalted in China, but instead it is consumed. You'll never get on a bus. So, go ahead, guilt free! I say, GO FOR IT! F*CK'em. When in Rome...
Jan 01, 2014 11:14 Report Abuse
I find many foreigner's disobey the laws in China "just because the Chinese do" great reasoning. We mustn't forget there are many Chinese people who are also fed up with other Chinese citizens' flonting China's laws too. This foreigner just made himself look as stupid as the rest of the Chinese who break the law.
Dec 28, 2013 16:10 Report Abuse
Definitely man. "Because the chinese do it" is a terrible reason to do anything. People here aren't willing to get confrontational for whatever reason over smoking or line cutting etc but that doesn't mean they don't think it's trashy as hell. There's a reason they all talk shit about migrants. Except the migrants of course...they probably just talk shit about the farmers.
Dec 29, 2013 09:06 Report Abuse
I'm not a smoker, and I can sympathize with people's desire to have a meal in a smoke-free restaurant. But I'm certain that the offender woudn't have been approached if he wasn't foreign, less offense would be taken from angry words between locals, and the police certainly wouldn't have been called. The police did a good one here. Foreigner reacted after being singled out; self-righteous local insists on arrest after heated discussion. The foreigner probably should've kept his cool, but at least he wasn't fined. The 'threatened' part of the title can't really be found back in the article, though: Were there actual threats made, or did the local man 'feel threatened' by the raised voice? A similar incident happened to me recently: I parked my bike outside a shopping mall, but the security guard decided to take offense at me lifting my bike over the fence (as I regularly do) rather than going through the busy entrance. I ignored his angry "WEI! WEI!!" and entered the mall before he could approach me. When I returned from shopping, he had put my bike outside the fence. Fortunately I locked my bike onto the fence, or who knows what he might have done instead... And I didn't react to him when leaving. What's the point? He feels entirely justified for acting upon my "criminal offense", and I couldn't explain what's wrong with his behaviour even if I spoke Chinese. I probably prevented myself from getting arrested by police for his gratification.
Dec 28, 2013 09:28 Report Abuse
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