Stories

Overseas Chinese In Paris Protest Violence, Demand Security

by on Thursday, June 24, 2010 176 comments

Members of Paris' Chinese community take part in the demonstration organized by franco-chinese associations to call for "the right to live together in security" on June 20, 2010 in the northeastern Paris' Belleville district. A man is pictured holding a poster that reads in French : "Stop violence". AFP PHOTO BERTRAND LANGLOIS

From NetEase (photos):

20,000 overseas ethnic Chinese demonstrate in Paris protesting violent robberies

On the 20th, over 20,000 overseas ethnic Chinese organized a massive “anti-violence, demand public security” demonstration, protesting Paris’s poor public security situation as well as the long-term violence and robbery targeting overseas ethnic Chinese. Cases of Chinese tourists being robbed in Paris have happened time and time again, with even the vice-chairperson Uyunqimg of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee having also been previously robbed during a visit to Paris.

Ethnic Chinese in Belleville (Paris), France demonstrate protesting violence and robberies targeting ethnic Chinese.

Members of Paris' Chinese community take part in the demonstration organized by franco-chinese associations to call for "the right to live together in security" on June 20, 2010 in the northeastern Paris' Belleville district. A woman is pictured with a t-shirt that reads in French : "I love Belleville". AFP PHOTO BERTRAND LANGLOIS

Members of Paris' Chinese community take part in the demonstration organized by franco-chinese associations to call for "the right to live together in security" on June 20, 2010 in the northeastern Paris' Belleville district. A man is pictured with a t-shirt that reads in French : "I love Belleville". AFP PHOTO BERTRAND LANGLOIS

Chinese in Belleville (Paris), France protest violence and robberies targeting ethnic Chinese, demanding public security from French officials.

Members of Paris' Chinese community take part in the demonstration organized by franco-chinese associations to call for "the right to live together in security" on June 20, 2010 in the northeastern Paris' Belleville district. AFP PHOTO BERTRAND LANGLOIS

A Chinese person stands atop a van in Paris, France during a large demonstration.

Members of Paris' Chinese community take part in the demonstration organized by franco-chinese associations to call for "the right to live together in security" on June 20, 2010 in the northeastern Paris' Belleville district. A man is pictured with a poster that reads in French and Mandarin : "Live in France without fear". AFP PHOTO BERTRAND LANGLOIS

French and Chinese in Belleville (Paris), France protest violence and robberies targeting ethnic Chinese, demanding improved public security.

French and Chinese in Belleville (Paris), France protest violence and robberies targeting ethnic Chinese, demanding improved public security.

A television news report (Chinese):

Another news report on YouTube (Chinese):

If YouTube is blocked for you, you may need a VPN service. chinaSMACK uses Freedur.

See also:

Comments from NetEase:

网易北京网友:

Why do they rob you? Because you are weak. Beat them up. The place I live is bad. At night when exiting the subway station, I’ve run into Middle Eastern robbers so many times. Every time you must fight them, and give them a few extra hits. Now when I go home, that group of people don’t bother me for money anymore. Actually, the robberies abroad in each neighborhood are always by the same few people. The more tough/vicious you are, they will naturally leave you alone and go bother other people. Foreigners and Chinese robbers are not the same, they really just bully the weak and fear the strong while Chinese robbers will rob your money and then stab you a few times anyway…

网易英国网友:

My schoolmate in France sought out the [Chinese] embassy’s help after experiencing many attacks and then actually being arrested by French police for self-defense but the embassy just took a conciliatory [deal with it, don't make trouble, not important enough] attitude, so [my schoolmate] could only just bitterly accept what happened…

网易美国网友:

Chinese people need to buy less luxury goods, use less Big Mao [high denomination] cash, and show off less.

网易法国网友:

I was a participant in the Belleville France demonstrations. There were far more than just 20,000 people, at least over 50,000 people.

网易火星网友:

Want safety? Return to the motherland!

网易河南郑州网友:

Yeah, if France is so bad, why don’t you guys come back? Come back and everything will be harmonious! Hehe.

网易美国网友:

Overseas Chinese can only unite and protect themselves. Don’t expect anything from the embassy. These GP always just tell you to obey the law [be unhelpful].

网易福建泉州网 友:

I heard about this news when driving this morning, that they even specifically target Chinese nationals for robbery, those bastards. Also, [France's reaction] is really inexcusable, simply allowing them to rob Chinese, not even trying to stop them, simply letting them go after arresting them. No wonder they are so savage…Chinese need to unite to fight back…

网易河南郑州网 友:

Get lost, don’t ever come back. There you can still demonstrate. If you come back, your house will be destroyed, then they’ll beat you, and you’ll spend N years appealing to higher authorities until you die and have no place to be buried.

网易湖北孝感网友:

I’m a soldier who just left the military, and I think Chinese people need to be stronger. Don’t be a weakling. What is there to be afraid of? There is the People’s Army.
If they don’t like it, let’s have a third world war.

网易浙江杭州网友:

Us Chinese people have always been stupid cunts, a despicable people, so it is normal to be robbed abroad.
Not only do we not fight back when getting robbed, we even help them count the money.

网易浙江宁波网友:

I never trust the Chinese people abroad. Even if it is asking for directions, I’d rather ask a Middle Easterner than a Chinese person.

网易火星网友:

Without tough diplomatic sanctions, this is simply of no use.

网易广东江门网 友:

Seeing Chinese people unify together, I’m truly moved. Chinese people in any country are facing the same experience, not just France. Everyone unite!

网易新疆乌鲁木齐网友:

Yes, Chinese people should get the respect they deserve and not just Chinese but also every other race. Public security must be restored. The Chinese in France have only done something they should do. When you have endured so much that you cannot endure any long, there is no need to endure further…

网易辽宁大连手机网友:

They deserve it. How many Chinese people abroad are actually good people? They’re all basically relatives of corrupt officials.

网易火星网友:

We [in China] should rob any French people we see!

Some more YouTube videos (English):

Violent attacks and robberies in romantic Paris? chinaSMACK personals.

Share This Article

176 Comments

  • Some HTML can be used to format your comment.
  • Add a picture to your comments with Gravatar.
  • Our Comment Policy.
1 2
  1. chinaboy
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:35 am

    FIRST AWESOME MUAHAHAHA!!!

    Reply
    • chinaboy
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:36 am

      and once again, the comments are rather scary, as a matter of fact i think Chinese people and their extremely racist and race based world view is scary, oh poor china….

      Reply
    • A silent Observer
      Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 9:34 am

      I have nothing against Chinese. I just don’t understand why do they always have to separate themselves from everyone else? They live in France, why not blend in with the people? Instead they are so “proud” to be Chinese that they live in a foreign country? Why do you wave the flag of China when you are in another another country? Don’t you know that’s a kind of a disrespect? No other people in the world do that except Chinese(Waving a motherland flag in a foreign country).

      If you intend to separate yourself from society, then this is what happens sometimes. You become an easy target and you get robbed. I see many Chinese who go abroad but don’t really bother to intermingle with the local people. You separate yourselves into little China towns. You don’t bother to learn the culture. The only interest is to make money, and live off the benefits of that country. Some locals get angry at that.

      The real solution is to assimilate into the country and to stop separating yourselves from everyone else every time you move abroad. I see you waving the Chinese flag around in another country. Could you wave that same flag around if you had a grievance at home with your Chinese government? I see so much contradiction.

      If you cannot assimilate with others, perhaps you need to come back home. Just because you are Chinese(as you keep saying) doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else.

      Reply
      • GAC
        Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 9:57 am

        “Why do you wave the flag of China when you are in another another country? Don’t you know that’s a kind of a disrespect? No other people in the world do that except Chinese(Waving a motherland flag in a foreign country).”

        How about the thousands of natural-born US citizens who wave an Irish flag on St. Patrick’s day because they happen to have an Irish ancestor? It’s part of their identity. Besides that, it is never the first generation that fully assimilates, though it’s often complete by the third in modern times.

        Add to that that many of the protesters are students that are fairly likely to return to China when they finish their studies, or tourists/visitors who almost certainly will be returning. Others might want to stay more permanently, but not willing to renounce Chinese citizenship for one reason or another.

        An odd note about assimilation is there seems to be a disconnect in the expectations of Chinese and Westerners. I expect that if I were to move to China permanently, people would not expect me to assimilate. In fact, some Chinese might be overtly hostile to seeing a white person participating in certain customs, while others would simply be surprised. But in Western countries, particularly the US (sorry, I don’t know so much about France), immigrants are expected to assimilate as quickly as possible, retaining only a few vestiges of their former identity. It seems nationalism is running in different directions here.

        Reply
        • Mike_In_Zhengzhou
          Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 10:59 am

          You fucking moron. Wave whatever flag you want to. If its part of your heritage, or you just like the colour. Wave it high.

          I hate most sports. But during any particular season, in Canada, you’ll see many different flags. It reminds me that I’m in a place that encourages supporting whatever holds value to you. Its beautiful.

          Reply
          • Teacher in China
            Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 4:04 pm

            Waving a flag at a sporting event or ceremony to cheer for your team is so different from waving one in protest in a foreign country.

        • A silent Observer
          Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:07 am

          I totally get you point man.

          But Saint Patrick’s is a day of celebration, not of protest.
          I honestly think that Chinese “students”(in video I saw many people with children) should wave both flags. One of China and one of France.

          And when I say assimilate I don’t mean to forget about your culture. I mean blend in to society like everyone else has done. Don’t seperate yourself by making a china town in every country you go. In Algeria I read about Chinese complaining about not being able to have a China town in Algiers. Give me a break, you are in a foreign country. Algiers is not China.

          By the way that they are waving these communist flags in a FREE democratic nation, I can tell that they are pissed about being robbed by people who they see as outsiders. I’m sure they are not protesting about Chinese in France robbing Chinese.

          The signs should be reading “protect our citizens” not only Chinese. To me it smells of nationalism in another country that not theirs to begin with.

          A bigger question is what does it mean to be Chinese?
          I just see a new found arrogance because now China is at the top of the world. You will never see an American waving an American flag protesting something in China, no matter what wrong has been committed. So why can overseas Chinese do this. It’s a disrespect.

          Stop waving that flag in a country that’s not yours. That flag means a certain amount of oppression in your own country(the scycal and hammer). I’m black and in Shanghai, it pisses me off that I can’t protest the amount of racism that goes on against dark colored people in China. I can’t go around waving an American flag and hollering about equal rights. Mostly these types of demonstrations by overseas Chinese are edged on by their embassy and government. If I did that here I would be arrested and deported.

          People get robbed and that’s the reality of living in a big city.

          Reply
          • GAC
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:43 am

            “I honestly think that Chinese “students”(in video I saw many people with children) should wave both flags. One of China and one of France.”

            I did not say that they were all students (though there is no reason why students studying abroad couldn’t have children — I know a few grad students who are married at least). I was just mentioning that there were students and tourists mentioned in the article. Forgive me for not being clear in pointing out a nuance.

            “And when I say assimilate I don’t mean to forget about your culture. I mean blend in to society like everyone else has done.”

            How do you “blend in” while remaining different?

            “Don’t seperate yourself by making a china town in every country you go.”

            Hey, people like to group together with people of shared communities. It’s no different from the Little Italy’s and the Jewish neighborhoods that popped up in the US. Those as well as the Chinatowns have often become integrated into the character of the city over time. So hey, you want to create a neighborhood where you have cultural connections with your neighbors, the markets sell food that you like, etc — I have no problem with it. I may come to visit.

            “The signs should be reading “protect our citizens” not only Chinese. To me it smells of nationalism in another country that not theirs to begin with.”

            The most prominent slogans I saw were bilingual with Chinese 反暴力 要安全 (“oppose violence, [we] want security”), and French “Securite por tous” (“Security for all” if I’m deciphering that right). Besides that, “protect our citizens” might not work for protesters who are not all citizens (which could be a majority here).

            “By the way that they are waving these communist flags in a FREE democratic nation, I can tell that they are pissed about being robbed by people who they see as outsiders”

            “Stop waving that flag in a country that’s not yours. That flag means a certain amount of oppression in your own country(the scycal and hammer).”

            Use of the flag probably is an indicator that it the crowd feels this is a problem for Chinese living there, but you seem to be more angry because of what the flag represents to YOU. To them, it represents a national identity, a pride in who they are and where they come from. You could just as easily say that waving an American flag supports exploitation of third world countries or overly belligerent military activities. Would you feel better if they had Taiwanese flags mixed in?

            Also, small note: The PRC flag, does not have a hammer-and-sickle emblem, just an arrangement of five stars in the corner. Maybe you are thinking of the USSR flag, or an earlier design for the PRC flag that had a hammer-and-sickle inset into the large star. (I love Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_People's_Republic_of_China http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union )

          • iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 3:32 pm

            I think they are getting mugged ’cause the thieves think they are Japanese. A Japanese its always a tasty victim in Europe; usually they carry fancy electronic equipment (good phones, good cameras, good ipods) and money :P

            To get a shanzai mobile phone and an Ipoop .. not the best target

          • No one
            Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 10:42 am

            A silent observer, you have hit the nail on the head and I agree with you whole heartedly. Kudos.

        • Mike_In_Zhengzhou
          Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 11:12 am

          You know what I like about you so-called “A silent Observer”, that you are the perfect example of comedy. You pipe in as though you know what you are talking about. You should call yourself “A half awake fool”

          You indicate that they should assimilate as a solution, well in fact, that’s just what they did. I find it fucking hilarious that you would expect them to refrain from protesting since you doubt they would do so in their home country. As a contradiction, you feign ignorance to the fact that France and China are different countries.

          Reply
          • A silent Observer
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 12:05 pm

            Fuck fuck fuck shit shit shit, name calling.

            That’s how you get your point across? You reek of the the wu mao party. I won’t argue with you. I will just simply make my point.

            “I find it fucking(very adult) hilarious that you would expect them to refrain from protesting since you doubt they would do so in their home country.”

            In fact I know they wouldn’t…the last person(lawyer) who did so disappeared. You seem to have selective memory.

            Assimilating doesn’t mean you have to abandon your culture. It does mean that you have to learn to deal with and mingle with the locals, ideals, and experiment with their way of life.

            In my experience Chinese that go overseas don’t do that. The absolute goal is take advantage of what that particular country provides and to make money with ill regard of the country and it’s culture. There is a stark contrast between 4th generation Chinese, and the Chinese that go abroad now.

            Case and point Mr. Robin Li who took advantage of the technology that America had, came back and started Baidu(now basically owned by the Chinese government). Both him and the Chinese government helped throw Google out of China(Even though Google is a much better search engine)

            Those who like to practice Falun Gong In America are persecuted by Chinese in America who are loyal to the Chinese embassy. They are frequently beaten up. their signs were snatched and ripped up. A whole big scene was caused by Chinese who didn’t know what freedom was. respect the customs and culture of America. Don’t act like that in someone else’s country. Yeah, maybe Falun Gong sucks, but it’s their right to practice that religion because THEY ARE NOT IN CHINA.

            Another example is during the Olympics when many overseas Chinese went crazy in Korea. What the hell? Why go and demonstrate and raise your Chinese flags in a country that really had nothing to do with the protests in the first place? You and I know how nationalist Koreans are. Why go and piss them off? Respect that country’s customs and ideology if you plan on studying and living in that country.

            I respect China and the Chinese, but don’t bring that nationalist crap to other countries, because other countries don’t bring it to yours. Protest, hoop and holler in your own country. And I would help you do it if I were allowed.

          • Mike_In_Zhengzhou
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 1:28 pm

            “In my experience Chinese that go overseas don’t do that.”

            Maybe they should.

            “Assimilating doesn’t mean you have to abandon your culture.”
            I agree. Your original statement lacked this message.

            “There is a stark contrast between 4th generation Chinese, and the Chinese that go abroad now.”
            This comparison does not endorse or condone their actions in France. What is the point?

            “Case and point Mr. Robin Li”
            Are you introducing an example of the people? their gov.? and how does this invalidate their right to express their view?

            “Those who like to practice Falun Gong In America are persecuted by Chinese in America who are loyal to the Chinese embassy. They are frequently beaten up. their signs were snatched and ripped up”
            That’s terrible. But, don’t make the mistake of thinking the people in China VOTED to outlaw those activities.

            This next part is THE BEST of what you said. I love it so much.
            “Respect that country’s customs and ideology if you plan on studying and living in that country.”
            Why do I love it? Because, it shows you with your foot in your mouth. France’s customs and ideology encourage a group or body of people, especially minorities to protest if they are discriminated against.

            Do not target those who are VICTIMS OF THEIR OWN CULTURE in an attempt to show CONTEMPT against the governing body of their homeland.

            “That’s how you get your point across? You reek of the the wu mao party. I won’t argue with you. I will just simply make my point.”
            I apologize for my rude language. Wu mao party? Nope. I’m 4th (at least) Generation Canadian of Ukranian/Irish/French decent living in China. Not a drop of Chinese blood in me.

          • Mike_In_Zhengzhou
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 1:55 pm

            Sorry Jones, I’ve never killed anyone or anything. Unless you count burgers and steak. You?

          • Mike_In_Zhengzhou
            Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 2:20 pm

            …… RAWR!!!!

      • A rationalist
        Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 6:31 am

        You´re so short-sighted. It´s not like everybody tends to separate themselves from everyone else. There are a lot who want to mingle but don´t have the chance to do so. Think about all those Chinese who are busy with making a living, mainly doing so by running a restaurant. You think they have the time to go and mingle with other people. Most of their time consists of work, eat and sleep, and most of them are in their late 40´s. The younger Chinese are trying to mingle, but it takes time. Also don’t forget that a lot of Chinese are being discriminated (by a few), being making fun of just because they are Chinese.
        Being proud of being Chinese is being proud of your own identity, being proud of who you are. Something you might not understand (because you are a native in your own country?).

        And about that “No other people in the world do that except Chinese(Waving a motherland flag in a foreign country).” Where do you base your information on? I live in another country than France where the same thing happens as what you say, but then by another ethnic group. Get your facts straight.

        About intending to separate yourself from society, I’ve already invalidated your argument in the first alinea, but what seems really unlogic is for you to say: “If you intend to separate yourself from society, then this is what happens sometimes. You become an easy target and you get robbed.” This has no consistency, and it surely does not give you the ‘right’ to be an easy target to get robbed.

        It is a fact that every ethnic group in a country seek each other, that thus also counts for Chinese. You can even deduce it to yourself, you also search for people with the same interest and background like you, and have friends with some same interests. It’s only natural to do so.

        Each and every person of course want to make money. Living of the benefits of a country means not working, not paying taxed and indulging yourself with money from social-wellfare. This is something that is almost unthinkable within the Chinese boundries of self-respect. Get your information straight before generalizing.

        Don’t expect that there will be anyone in a country whose roots lay somewhere else (immigrants) to assimilate. This an unthinkable thing to do and will never happen because that means losing their identity. People are always judged by their looks, so even if they want to assimilate, the people who want them to assimilate make it impossible for them by judging them on their outer appearance.

        “Just because you are Chinese(as you keep saying) doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else.”
        Does someone in the article say that they are better because they are Chinese? You don’t really get the whole point of the article do you. Express your anger about Chinese somewhere else, preferable on an other site (you have noticed, with your short-sightness, that this is a site about China and everything included?)

        Reply
  2. chinaboy
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:46 am

    AND SECOND, WHY NOT, going for the next round :D

    seriously, China needs to turn down a notch on their racism, they get no respect from nobody for this… poor fellas…

    Reply
  3. Teacher in China
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:47 am

    I saw this on CCTV news the other morning. The first thing I thought is “I wonder what the Chinese people here in China think about the fact that when their countrymen living abroad are dissatisfied with the government, they are able to take to the streets and protest in huge numbers?” Given that the answer is kind of obvious, I kind of felt surprised that the CCTV news would even be playing it, don’t want to give people “disharmonious” ideas after all…

    Then I saw the recent audit report this morning on the news and thought “the Chinese people in China should take to the streets and protest the violent robberies being perpetrated by their corrupt officials.” I think the figure was $1bln RMB embezzled in 2009…

    Reply
    • aclcla
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:03 am

      the thing is most people are brainwashed into thinking they have the right to protest, but there really is no reason here in harmonious china, and that these foreign countries, like France, are so awful to live in so the people have to protest the government constantly.

      now….a well educated person wouldn’t buy that, but think of how many millions do?

      also, check out article 41

      http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html

      there is also another article in there with something along the lines of being able to gather in public spaces for protest or something, but i cant find it.

      its kind of ‘allowed’ to set up demonstrations and protests, but i’ve heard you have to register your protest with a few government agencies and the police, and wait a certain amount of time. By that time, the government has issued a news black out for that area, and already issued notices to scare participants into staying home.

      hooray for china….

      Reply
      • bobiscool
        Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:44 pm

        Dear aclcla,

        The ironic thing is, you are brainwashed into thinking thus.

        They aren’t brainwashed into thinking they are allowed to protest… nor do they believe china is so great (anymore).

        A well educated person would not think thus, go back to elementary school, and stop wasting time here. kthanks

        Reply
    • sallie
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 7:40 pm

      here, small town in Shangdong.
      The head of township embezzled 17000000 RMB.
      Today I went to township office to protest but nobody was there..
      Haha.. That is why many people in China want to go abroad…
      At least, they can protest…
      I want my money back… But How??

      Reply
    • lolz
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10:00 pm

      So basically your first thought was to be defensive.

      Just because Chinese are being taken advantage of by their own government doesn’t justify that they get robbed or attacked in other countries.

      Rather than demanding change to be made in france for the better of everyone, instead you are trying to blame the Chinese government?

      Reply
      • Teacher in China
        Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 3:58 pm

        Classic case of not actually reading or understanding what I wrote. I never said anything about justification, or blaming the Chinese government at all.

        Reply
  4. FreedomFighter
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:48 am

    沙发吗？ 很舒服！

    Reply
  5. aclcla
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:53 am

    Man….looking at those comments from netease only reinforces the evidence that mainland chinese are sooooo freakkkinnn racist!!! racial comments against anyone, even themselves!!

    hopefully thats gonna change soon…i guess 30 years of open doors isn’t enough time for social stigmas and taboos to develop along the lines of race.

    Reply
    • zhuchenbi
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 2:09 pm

      Chinese people are Racist? I don’t think so. At least I know Americans are much more racist than them… That was what I felt after I came to America.

      Reply
      • chinaboy
        Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 2:30 pm

        China = most racist country in the world (together with Japan, but they are more civilized)

        Reply
        • amanda
          Saturday, July 3, 2010 at 7:34 am

          Every race has it’s racist tendencies.
          But old school Chinese people, especially ones who immigrate are racist. My parent’s are from rural China and they hate non-chinese, albeit because they have been fucked over by Americans when they first got here. There’s just general prejudice against non-chinese.
          Chinese are racist, Whites are racist, Blacks are racist, Middle Eastern people are racist. There is no race group that can claim to be totally tolerant.

          Reply
        • Zen Master So So
          Wednesday, July 7, 2010 at 3:58 pm

          I have to agree that the Chinese are absolutely the most racist people that I have ever met.

          I’m not offering this as *proof*, so much as just a fragment of anecdotal evidence, but at all the nightclubs in Shanghai, the mainland Chinese only hang out with other mainland Chinese, for the most part. Very rarely do you see one or two mixing, usually a young couple dating, or two same-sex friends who are obviously university students together.

          Proof, I cannot give you. That consists of three years of constant exposure to the Chinese. If you want that kind of proof, come over here and experience it yourself.

          Reply
  6. Peteryang
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:56 am

    omg first.

    Experiences tell me if overseas Chinese could stop infighting over petty differences and stay united instead of sporadic protests that usually involves flag-waving and screaming motherland they could enjoy much better security.

    Reply
  7. chinaboy
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:03 am

    Am i losing my first due to ‘ awaiting moderation’ >>>????

    Reply
  8. Louis
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:31 am

    I’m French and I think that it is not just Chinese who are victim of theft and violence. Native French and Europeans are also but unlike the Chinese we have no opportunity to protest.

    Reply
    • bossman
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 11:02 am

      And to be honest, the Chinese always feel hard done by, nobody is more inwardly resent than a Chinese person, one of the great contradictions of China’s great country people is that they will put up with any theft and abuse from their own govt, work shit jobs being exploited by their own people in Belleville, yet yell and moan about how “the Chinese” are being targeted by the theives. Stop carrying cash only you dimwits!!! Government bigshots to travel to paris with their huge wallets and shop at Au printemps buying Hermes scarves for your little bitch hos back home. Start paying your fucking taxes like everyone else and use credit cards and so on… but no you would rather pay cash, cheat the govt )live for free in foreign land – you cheaters) and get free medical from the French govt. Honestly such whiners…

      Reply
      • Tadd
        Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:05 pm

        F**K me… no tax, cheat the government, live for free in a foreign land AND get free medical care!?

        Dude.. I think you’re the dumb fuck for thinking this is cheating. It makes you the A-class retard, for apparently by your standards, you should work and struggle for everything.

        If having an easy life means “cheating” life, then damn well show me where to sign!!!

        Reply
    • suicidal tendency
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:12 pm

      Yep!
      I can confirm that the level of insecurity in France is ridiculously high.
      And about “being repeatedly attacked” and “arrested for self-defense”, it’s not only Chinese, it’s all normal people living in France! And you’re lucky if your attackers don’t try to find 20 additional friends and look after you to make you pay for calling police…

      I’ve seen a lot of good comments on French forums about this protest: at least they are united enough to organize a protest, while lambda locals just can’t find a common interest to gather.

      Reply
      • Yet another French
        Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:58 pm

        Hello,

        I’m French, I have lived in Paris for 20+ years (and still do) and I have to say that you are wrong in your assertion about security being a disaster for everyone.

        Security is not a problem for the vast majority of people living inside Paris (as for the suburbs : it’s very variable with some places being very risky, but the majority is more or less ok). Of course you should not trust blindly what your local media say on a worldwide scale, as this is most of the time very biased. But sadly you can get the wrong idea too by reading some forum comments, as it is obviously the case here. Maybe you could use instead alternate sources of information (like http://globalvoicesonline.org for example), but the most reliable information come from people you know in real life.

        This being said, there are clearly problems concerning the Chinese community inside Paris. And indeed, these problems come mainly from the “Middle Easterns”. As a matter of fact, they are mostly second/third/fourth generation of Algerian and Moroccan immigrants, but not only, “pure souche” French people are also amongst them, and the common factor between all the offenders are primarily the gender (yes, girls don’t attack…) and secondarily the poverty (hence there are more people from North African immigration). I believe the root of these problems lies in the fact that immigrants and poor people share the same areas of Paris, and that the Chinese community is far more wealthy than the other communities sharing the same territory. Yet, contrary as what I’ve read here in some commentaries, people exhibiting their money are not the only target, “poor-looking Chinese-looking” are also targeted. And the goal is not always to rob them, but to hit them, so this is a matter of despise between communities.

        As a side-note : this should also be analyzed as a landmark of the integration of French people from Chinese origins… Politicians/TV-presenters/famous artists/you-name-it spawn from all the others big communities except the Chinese one. Seeing so many young people, whose parents roots are in China, in such a typical French attitude [protesting in the street ;)] is a clear sign of this integration. Heinous comments from people in China are another clear evidences.

        Reply
        • Dongdong
          Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:46 pm

          As a french who formely lived in Paris (and now lives in China), I acknowledge those two comments.
          The way CCTV puts the news (sounds like it’s a chinese vs french fight) shows a total ignorance of background and analysis which leads to those irrelevant dumb comments (but well, the comments come from the scum of the internet, there aren’t supposed to be journalists…)

          Reply
  9. just me
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:35 am

    what this report doesn’t say is that the demonstrations ended up in violence with those Chinese demonstrators throwing bottles at security forces and breaking cars… and those are the very same people that asked for more safety in this district of paris???

    Reply
  10. Chinese Warrior
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 11:29 am

    There is a great teacher called Yuan Zumou who lives in Paris and teachings Chinese wrestling and qin-na. He has very few Chinese students. Why don’t those Chinese look him up for serious self-defense training? That guy has never had a problem with personal safety in Paris. Are most Chinese in Paris too busy making money or trying to get rich?

    The problem with Chinese people today is that they lost their toughness with the rising standard of living. I can’t tell you how many times I see a bunch of fat kids playing basketball. Real contact sports like wrestling, boxing, wushu is hard, so people don’t want to take the time or put the effort.

    The best defense is deterance. If the assailant thinks you are a tough target, or finds out after trying to rob you that you are not to be messed with, believe me, he won’t try again.

    Reply
  11. Olivier
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 11:44 am

    My god, France is really a country of strike and contestation…

    Even the chinese who are usually not used to contest … strike.

    Reply
  12. Dave in Macau
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 11:59 am

    Chinese are targeted in many countries for robbery because they are well known for holding large quantities of cash.

    The solution is clear…

    Reply
    • Jay K.
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:54 pm

      so they are the jews of asia? well said!

      im surprised though they showed this in the news, in china. it has chinese protesting yet they cant really do this in china…so sad i see not but a real gov system, but loneliness

      Reply
      • Alan in China
        Friday, June 25, 2010 at 1:11 am

        It’s interesting that you should mention Jews of Asia because that’s what King Rama VI titled the articles at the beginning of the 20th century to turn the Thai people against the Chinese. Well technically it was Jews of the East, but close enough.

        Reply
  13. Tigris
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    The guys who say get stronger are absolutely correct. Only an armed populace is a polite populace.

    Reply
    • ImmortalTechnique
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 2:23 am

      In the case of knife vs. no-knife, knife always wins!

      Armed Bolshevik Revolution boh-boh, taking it to the streets of Paris, one-time for your mind…

      Welcome to the world kids! France ain’t so romantic after all!

      Reply
  14. Hans Roth
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:49 pm

    I sincerely hope that the Chinese understand it is North Africans robbing them and not the pacific native Frenchmen.

    China should learn this lesson, don’t open your borders except to the best human specimens on earth. Don’t allow anti-nationalist (in the west these are leftists) to gain access to media.

    Reply
    • Binoche
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 4:45 pm

      Such a cliché! Robbers are not all North Africans, frenchmen are not all pacific and i’m not even sure there are any ‘native’ french left in France…

      I think most french are proud to be a people with such a mix of culture….

      Anyway, who are we to judge who are the ‘best human specimens on earth’…last i remember Nazis had this kind of theory

      Reply
  15. balisu
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    bring some of this protest in China, this is made in order to make train chines to protest, so when they come back they will protest for thinks they don’t like in the motherland ;) good training !!!!

    Reply
  16. fireworks
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 1:10 pm

    Heard from lots of people who has been to France especially Paris. Lots of pick pockets and small time crooks in the subways, public squares and everywhere. I don’t think the Chinese are specifically targeted. Everyone gets targeted…

    Thing is, there are some people who wants face and always wear their best branded stuff out. Obviously, dip shit going to get robbed if they see goldilocks with a prada handbag.

    Reply
  17. dongshizhang
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 2:09 pm

    If there is a foreigner protest in China over public safety, whats gonna happen?

    Reply
  18. Bryan
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 2:45 pm

    This is what I always find baffling about every Chinese protest in another country regarding their situation in that respective country…

    They fly the flag of the PRC.

    Unbelievably self-defeating.

    In the case of these protests in France demanding better police protection…running around in the streets with a red banner of a country the rest of the world is already fairly skeptical of…is probably not the best way to garner sympathy and change for your plight of choice.

    It’s only going to make the host country even more jittery.

    Reply
  19. Daniel
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 3:03 pm

    The report is incomplete.
    It is not just robberies. Chinese females are also frequently raped. The reason chinese are targeted is the idea that Chinese usually carry lot of cash and would not report to the police.
    A chinese friend of mine told me that the Chinese wedding are especially targeted. On June the 1st, during a wedding a chinese shot a robber at the leg. He sleeps now in jail while the robber has been released. That event sparked the protest.
    Another matter is the ethnic origin of the violence. It is not politically correct to precise it, in France we call them ‘jeunes’ which mean ‘young’.
    The violence occurs in a area of Paris called Belleville, famous for its ethnic diversity. The Chinese began to settle there in the 80′s and are now becoming dominant (at least in terms of businesses and restaurants).
    Last, most second generation Chinese in Paris are French nationals. They don’t give a damn about the Chinese embassy.

    Reply
    • A silent Observer
      Tuesday, June 29, 2010 at 12:19 pm

      Why aren’t Chinese gentlemen protecting these females from getting raped? Never let a female walk around at night. You have all of these men. Protect your women. And also it seems that it is slowly becoming a China town. Maybe the locals aren’t too happy about that.

      Reply
  20. Inna_mouf
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Maybe those theives were able to get back a small, smidgen of a percentage of all the money stolen from French companies that started JVs with Chinese companies in China. VIVA LA FRANCE!

    Reply
  21. anne
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    Chinese people need to stop carrying large quantities of cash on themselves and stick to cards. This sort of thing happens where I’m from. Thieves love to target older Asian lady’s handbags, deaths have occurred as a result from the scuffles. It’s not considered racism where I’m from through, more like racial stereotype. “Chinese=carries ridiculously large wads of cash.”

    Reply
    • bando
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 5:56 pm

      Cards won’t always guarantee your monies won’t get stolen. They might march you to the nearest ATM at knife/gun point. I know that happened to someone before in Shanghai.

      Try not to stay out late at night, stay in a large group and don’t carry so much valuables.

      Reply
      • korean_guy
        Friday, June 25, 2010 at 3:19 am

        Don’t the ATM have daily limits? I’d rather give the robber my daily limit than a whole load of cash.

        Reply
      • anne
        Friday, June 25, 2010 at 12:13 pm

        It’s a barrier. Most thieves just grab and run, they don’t have the guts to all that other stuff. This way the people aren’t as likely to pursue the thieves or retaliate (which can result in someone getting hurt.) But my point is mainly that fact that these thieves have the “assumption” that Chinese people have a habit of carrying too much cash and therefore thieves target them.

        Reply
    • petit bonheur
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:34 pm

      You don’t get the point : if you use credit card, you must put the money in the bank. If you put money in a bank account, you must declare your income, if you declare, you have to pay taxes.

      Reply
  22. Binoche
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    Frankly, i’m amused -and annoyed- with the comments. I’m a French living in BJ and while on a detour by Paris, I too have been robbed.
    So while i agree that more should be done by the national police, i also think it’s really stupid to think that those attacks are targeted at Chinese nationals.
    These robberies -which are actually more like pickpockets- happen every where in the world, including China!
    So please, stop with the hyper -stupid- nationalisms every time something or someone related to China is attacked, this is definitely not constructive…

    By the way, those demonstrations -because, there they can demonstrate- are FRENCH! Paying taxes and getting state money when unemployed so please, know what you’re talking about…

    Reply
    • pepsi_cola
      Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:17 pm

      I have seen it happen in NYC. It’s not racial, they are targeted because FOB Chinese almost never call the police, most don’t fight back and carry cash instead of cards. Gangs of youths actually take long train rides to go to Chinese areas to rob Chinese.

      Police don’t care because they don’t vote, attend local meeting or have any ties to important people.

      It’s only changed with the election of 3 new Chinese councilman.

      Reply
  23. tk 4 lyfe
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 4:48 pm

    yea, those french only like to rob the dumb mainlanders. haha

    Reply
  24. FYIADragoon
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    BAWWWWWWW BAWWWWWWWWWWW

    WHY WON’T THE MEAN ROBBERS STOP TARGETING ME JUST BECAUSE I WEAR ONLY DESIGNER CLOTHES AND DRIVE A $30,000+ CAR?!

    Seriously, you get robbed in any country when you walk around like you’re made of money. Don’t be a dumbass, use common sense. I remember seeing the rich Chinese students at my old university and thinking that if one of them dropped one of their numerous Apple products or designer items, I’d probably pick it up and take it for myself.

    Also lol at the signs being in both Chinese and French. Any French people want to tell me if the Chinese speak French as badly as they do English?

    Reply
    • Alan in China
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 1:27 am

      Thing is, in the US at least, Koreans are much more likely to display this kind of behavior than Chinese. Most of the koreans that I see driving cars are driving Audi’s and BMW’s. Though this is in Illinois, I suppose it might be different in other places, especially France but at least for me, I’d think the Koreans would be much more likely to be targeted. Chinese people in the US (whether they be Fob or 1st/2nd Gen) for the most part don’t really exhibit this behavior, at least very very few that I’ve encountered.

      Reply
      • FYIADragoon
        Friday, June 25, 2010 at 2:09 am

        Trust me, from what I’ve heard from my younger brother and a few friends who have ended up teaching ESL classes, they’ve surpassed the Koreans. Back in my days at university, it was the Koreans too though, so I get what you’re saying on that aspect. I’ve heard their girls are still fairly bad about showing off.

        Reply
  25. Ken S
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 5:40 pm

    This is hardly something new, back in the 1960s and 1970s UK Chinese would get attacked all the time. People would go into restuarants eat and not pay walking out. They would have seen recent Bruce Lee flicks and thought they wanted to see how tough people really were.

    It culminated in several brutal hammer frenzy attacks where the native blokes who ate and didn’t pay ended up living the rest of their lives eating through straws.

    Almost everybody of my dads generation has some form of Wushu training Wing Chun or Chow Gar due to this violence if they didn’t they’d have a crow bar under the counter. It changed the mindset of the attackers to :

    Whoa! you know these Chinamen will actually fight back, and the attacks dwindled down to nothing in the 1980s-1990s

    The problem is I’m no longer sure if this approach would work anymore.

    My dad keeps talking about the 1980s and before where people would have fist fights win or lose shake hands and go for a beer. Today you beat somebody in a fist fight they won’t think wow I lost! They will go home and get a knife or a gun. Or with a bigger gang.

    Reply
  26. Yves
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    Chinese flags en Paris? C’est chic, but c’est pas ‘tres sympas’ n’est pas?

    Reply
  27. dim mak
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    Most Chinese forums mention that is it Muslim immigrants attacking overseas Chinese in France, and the French police don’t do anything about it.

    This article makes it sounds like France as a whole is bullying Chinese people. Please post with context, thanks.

    Reply
  28. Mike_In_Zhengzhou
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    … oh for fuck sakes.

    When France tried to boycot the 2008 Olympics, many taxi drivers here in China would ask me what country I’m from, or ask if I’m from France. I always said no, since I’m from Canada, and I don’t even speak French. Some spit in my face regardless, some refused to take me anyway. Some made astonishing demands for how much the trip would cost.

    Now, with this event in France, I can’t wait (sarcasm) to see what kind of treatment I’ll encounter next …

    Reply
  29. 123meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    “TIME AND TIME AGAIN”

    please dont be so specific.
    its fukn paris.. its not ethinc targeting. its called statistics morons.

    Reply
  30. narsfweasels
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 8:21 pm

    Oh no, it’s terrible! The government moved in tanks and the army to quell the protests and return stability! Such wicked acts! An entire generation lost because they wished to stand up for their rights! The French are such barbarians for treating Chinese in this way!

    Oh… no, wait, it wasn’t France who did that…

    Reply
  31. pepsi_cola
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:10 pm

    That is one city off my vacation list. With Euro being so low, I was listing European cities that are pedestrian friendly, good food and culturally distinct. It was down to Berlin, Paris and Dublin. I bet Paris will get less of those big buses of Chinese tourists if this is well publicized in China.

    Reply
  32. Logic
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    If only they’d protest like this against the chengguan in their home country.

    Reply
  33. mohomo
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    ugh, petty theft is such a dayruiner but i always keep my knife and my gangsta around so iz okay.

    whether the robberies are ethnically charged, due to lack of cashmoney, or mixture of both, itll be interesting to see if chinese in fr get robbed anymore. 20,000-50,000 people? if i were a robber id feel like a jerk.

    “…in real life (in north america)…” i lol’d

    Reply
  34. Zhegezhege
    Thursday, June 24, 2010 at 11:04 pm

    Went to Paris for the first time since I was a kid last summer and was surprised by how macho a city it is. Hand-flapping cheese nibblers they are most definitely not! Superb culture, awesome city… damn expensive.

    Reply
  35. Alan in China
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 1:16 am

    “I never trust the Chinese people abroad. Even if it is asking for directions, I’d rather ask a Middle Easterner than a Chinese person.”
    “They deserve it. How many Chinese people abroad are actually good people? They’re all basically relatives of corrupt officials.”

    Some of these commenters are hella messed up. I suppose there are relatives of officials living abroad but I’m pretty sure they make up <1% of the total Chinese diaspora. As my parents are immigrants to the US I'm rather insulted, but then it's always seemed like these posts bring out the worst of the worst of the Chinese internet (kinda like 4Chan). And the comments are definitely different from what I would have expected. I was thinking they'd be more in line with this:
    "Seeing Chinese people unify together, I’m truly moved. Chinese people in any country are facing the same experience, not just France. Everyone unite!"

    Though the comments on Chinasmack are pretty interesting as well, people saying that those in China are simply rolling over and letting the government screw them. Well I wouldn't say that's completely true. I think it's more that it's far more difficult to organize a protest in China (and actually capture national attention) than it would be in France.

    Reply
  36. hardlifeinChina
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 1:36 am

    AT Least in France , we have freedom to protest.
    How many foreigner are victims of chinese robbers everyday in Shanghai, guangzhou, beijing, hangzhou, … and can not even talk to plice? Who will let “LaoWai” protesting or demonstrating in our harmonious society?
    A father of a “LaoWai” friend, was robbed in daytime, in Shanghai Nanjing road. He called the police “110″, and the agent was furious against him, why he “pretended” that vallet was stloen, and didn t “agree” that he just lost by his own. was in june 12th, 2010. The agent was alsmost charger the “Laowai” for “saying chinese are thieves!

    So, while demonstrating in Paris, don t forget about what our dear LaoWai are enduring every minute in China.

    Take it easy, dear Hamonious countrymates

    Reply
  37. Chinese Netizen
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 1:58 am

    Let us just say what all Chinese say when foreigners in China complain: “IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, THEN GO HOME!!”

    And I agree with one of the comments here on how sweetly ironic it is that Chinese can openly protest in France without being beaten to death by the Wu Jing whereas in their own country…

    Vive la France!

    Reply
    • Chinese Netizen
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 2:00 am

      Oh yeah…and why live in a Chinese ghetto when you go to such a lovely country as France? Experience the damned place and soak it in!!

      Reply
  38. dongshizhang
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 2:22 am

    well put…

    crime does not discriminate in most cases just a matter of how you invite it.

    Reply
  39. korean_guy
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 3:27 am

    So someone robbed a Chinese during a protest for increase security for Chinese who are being robbed? And who robbed the Chinese lady during the protest? A middle easterner? A North African? A French men? or Another Chinese?

    I bet after this riot, oops I mean protest, the French are going to dislike Chinese even more.

    Reply
  40. FatAss
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:34 am

    I didn’t realize there were so many Chinese living in Paris. 2 months ago, San Francisco’s Chinese community held rallies at City Hall because elderly Chinese were being robbed, beaten and one was even thrown off a streetcar/subway platform. I guess mass violence against Chinese happens all over the world.

    Reply
  41. Rman
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 9:43 am

    Only the latest event in what seems to be the ever increasing China vs. The Entire World drama

    Reply
  42. PALADIN
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10:09 am

    Well if you don’t like it…..you can take a plane home. Flying that fucking red chink flag is rude and classless. You chinks think that everybody will bow down and do as you want? Like i said , planes leave Orly Airport in Paris everyday…take one. Happiness is a chink leaving the west…with another chink under each arm, and another in his suitcase.

    Reply
    • lang
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:09 pm

      Agreed!
      Why are there so many of them? Since when France has begun to accumulate these people? Are you sure they are all legal? One reason they are obvious target for the muggers is that being illegals they cannot report to the police and have lots of cash on them (illegals can’t open bank accounts).
      Every time I travel to Paris, I find it full of chinese (not Japanese or Koreans etc…). They are either tourists queueing outside the LV shop or dodgy sods queueing to be picked up for work in the black markets.
      France is a small country. So can they not fuck off back to where they come from?

      Reply
    • GAC
      Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 11:57 pm

      Why is waving the flag of your home country rude? It’s just an identity thing.

      Reply
    • steven
      Monday, June 28, 2010 at 11:08 am

      Not racist at all are you?

      Reply
  43. Bi Ming Tan
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 6:25 pm

    Someone mentioned, and I agree, that the perpetrators of the robberies were, no doubt, African immigrants to France. Anyone been to Guangzhou lately? If you have, then you will understand what thieving, lowlife scumbags the Africans are. If the Chinese continue to allow Africans to freely immigrate to China, you will regret it to your dying day.

    Reply
    • GAC
      Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 10:14 am

      If you go to a slum, you will understand what theiving, lowlife scumbags the urban poor are. Oh, wait, that problem is fixable by improving those people’s standard of living — better associate it with a racial or ethnic group and make it sound so fundamental to their nature that they couldn’t possibly helped.

      Reply
    • Ching Chong (aka Michael)
      Friday, September 10, 2010 at 2:16 pm

      chinese are sucking Africa’s resources dry, and giving a pittance in return. That’s theiving. I don’t blame the African’s doing it back to the chinese.

      Reply
  44. Paco01
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 8:26 pm

    Let’s say, if this demonstration happened in China, the police will crack down the demonstration and the organising leaders will be send to prison or have to be re-educated….

    Reply
  45. elenore
    Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    This is exactly why Western Nations are getting sick of immigrants from 3rd world countries.First of all many are probably illegal immigrants and no not all illegals are poor but they demand things from the nations they don’t belong to and have no right to ask for.Rich Chinese in California,Hispanics (poor and rich),Canadian,Indian visa over stays,illegals from Eastern Europe,Poor Chinese and other Asians in Great Lakes region who came in a cargo shipping container,Mid-Easterners using both Canadian and U.S. Welfare Systems at the same time.You have no right to go to another country demands wages,rights,and public services,don’t learn the language,live in bad neighborhoods and get angry there is crime,guess what there is crime there for the citizens from those countries in those same neighborhoods.Metro Detroit has the largest variety(not largest number) of immigrants legal and illegal, and illegals all have the nerve to demand services when they pay less into the system through taxes are lowering wages,then aren’t really supposed to be here in the first place having anchor babies.Why don’t these people go home and demand the same things from their own governments.I am tired of seeing people wave foreign flags in my country and demanding rights and services,they have no right to ask for in their native languages.Unless your a legal immigrant,Protest somewhere else.Pathetic there willing to use the freedom of speech laws here but not in their countries of origin.And many it western nations will view this as racist since the Chinese community are only protesting for themselves and not everyone as a whole,which will prove to natives of these countries they aren’t interested in being French,that’s why Hispanics look racist in U.S. they didn’t care or protest when Mid-Eastern community in Detroit Metro were being profiled but now almost 10 years after mid-eastern community has been harassed,they care about racial profiling now because it might affect Hispanics.If you move to a country in the Western world, people in those countries will expect you to adapt to their culture and blend in with their neighborhoods and people,and learn their language.Would China like it if Americans or French and other foreign people started making neighborhoods refusing to learn language and demand government services while not paying into the tax system,waving flags from U.S. and France all the while not having any permission to be there.

    Reply
    • GAC
      Friday, June 25, 2010 at 10:51 pm

      “Would China like it if Americans or French and other foreign people started making neighborhoods refusing to learn language and demand government services while not paying into the tax system,waving flags from U.S. and France all the while not having any permission to be there.”

      Ah, sounds a lot like extraterritoriality regimes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Yeah, they technically had permission, but they got it through wars and unequal treaties.

      As far as demanding these things in their own countries — the reason that they immigrate is because they cannot get the same standard of living at home, even when they are living far below the average in countries they go to. Economic and political change take time, and people usually are looking for what benefits themselves and their family, not their country — especially if they are poor.

      As far as “refusing to learn the language”, I don’t know much of the Chinese diaspora in France. I do know that there are studies showing that Hispanics assimilate faster than any immigrant group in US history.

      In any case, focusing on illegal immigration doesn’t give the whole picture, and I don’t think it’s all that relevant to this particular article. It mentions students, many of whom will likely return to China, and tourists who most definitely will be going back — so even focusing on permanent immigrants doesn’t give the whole picture.

      Reply
      • elenore
        Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:49 am

        Sorry Hispanics are the immigrant group taking the longest to assimilate almost 3 generations to get high school diploma and stop speaking Spanglish.Asians and Middle easterners actually assimilate quickest and have highest levels of wages and education.

        Reply
        • GAC
          Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 8:41 am

          Alright, maybe I should have checked again. I don’t know the education numbers, though the fact that many Hispanics come into the country doing low-wage, manual labor is probably related to that. Linguistically, three generations is considered the norm for assimilation of immigrant groups — immigrant population speaks mother tongue, second gen is bilingual, third generation is monolingual in English — though it can be faster when there isn’t a significant linguistic community for immigrants to fall back on. Historically speaking, many German communities in the Midwest were slower, maintaining communities with monolingual German speakers for several generations.

          Reply
    • BlkRockwell
      Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 12:18 pm

      Exactly. Multicultural nations do not work because people inherently look after their own interests, and many times, these interests conflict.

      Reply
      • GAC
        Monday, June 28, 2010 at 12:05 am

        Except:

        1) Almost every country in the world is “multicultural” to some extent, even if they have no significant immigrant population, they will still have multiple ethnicities or religious groups.
        2) It is not just cultural groups that look after their own (collective) interests. Individuals look after their own individual interests. We couldn’t very well make everyone live in a self-contained ball, now could we?
        3) Isolationism presents its own problems. Without exposure to outside ideas, innovation decreases and development lags. You can look at the later Ming dynasty and much of the Qing for examples.
        4) How can you isolate a single culture? What criteria could you objectively apply? If China were to throw out anyone but Han Chinese, that would still leave people speaking dozens of different languages and will a wide range of different customs. If the US threw out everyone but WASPs, well, there are clear regional differences here, as well.

        Reply
  46. LE_LAOWAI
    Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 1:13 pm

    hummm an international troll ?

    I don’t think thiefts are focusing on chinese people all over the world. And security problems had always existed everywhere in the world.

    Chinese mainland criticising other countries immigrants conditions facing law and justice ? what a joke…

    Let me remind the number of time chinese drunk slum fighting me at 5 vs 1 for nothing, police as testify just doing nothing because “too much people”, once in the police station looking problems to ME and putting me in a jail and threatning me about my passport & visa…

    hahahah, an eye for an eye… welcome into the real world my friends !

    Reply
  47. Kubili
    Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    Funny,but reasonable..It’s completely reasonable to stand up for your right,either by protesting or just plain anger. They chose to protest in voicing out,but I was wondering,just wondering here though..Could any foreigner possibly go on protest here on chinese soil??

    Regardless of why they would wanna protest,I’ll bet that’d be a collosal “No”,so why dishing out a meal you’d never wanna be served?

    That’s france,I’m no frenchy but I’m pretty sure there has to be some other means of voicing out complaints as foreigners on a foreign soil ,rather than protest which could possibly blow out of proportion.

    Reply
  48. Taobao FOCUS
    Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    that was a huge crowd in Paris :)

    Reply
  49. steven
    Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    You know I’ve never once witnessed any violence, crime, hate or racism against any Laowai’s in China. Not once has any taxi driver ever tried to run me up, any shop owner ever charged me more for products because I’m white. Nope there is no racism in China at all.

    Reply
    • Zhegezhege
      Monday, June 28, 2010 at 1:25 pm

      You just gotta know the right price and argue with them (ideally in Chinese) until they come out with what they believe: “but you are rich so you should pay more”. What they mean by that is “foreigners should pay more” (because of the percieved crimes committed by your great-grandparents’ generation, d’uh)!
      And then you tell them (quietly, so that people hanging around in the street won’t think they’ve lost face) that that is a rubbish argument, you’re only doing this to me cos I’m foreign and you can either provide the right service for the right price or go without my money. That should do the trick.
      Only time it doesn’t generally work is if you’re talking to an illegal taxi driver and it’s raining or he’s with his friends and trying to look tough.
      Also, you can usually tell in their faces if they’re decent people who just haggle as a matter of course or shifty little liars who wouldn’t dream of not charging you an extra 5mao.

      Reply
  50. Jerry
    Sunday, June 27, 2010 at 10:19 pm

    The “cunt” comment is laughable. It’s funny that you said “Us Chinese”. If you hate yourself, please do not drag other Chinese people down with you because we certainly do not want to be associated with so-called Chinese like yourself. You make me gag.

    Reply
1 2
Personals @ chinaSMACK - Meet people, make friends, find lovers? Don't be so serious!»