Hate to say it, but you are in a tough and a very racist country.

I think you'll find that it's less racism and more intense curiosity that leads to seemingly racist comments or actions. I think that most of what people have said here have been left by cranky expats. They have blown it out of proportion a bit and you likely enjoy most of your interactions with Chinese here (unless you're stuck in traffic or cause any trouble in Kundu). Anyway, this link gives an interesting look at life for foreigners in China.

www.thisamericanlife.org/[...]

If you're black, they expect/assume you know how to play basketball, rap and dance. Ha.ha.

@mightymouse
Prejudice is everywhere, but we all bleed red. Just be yourself - love what you do, share your passion for life - break down barriers as opposed to building walls. Welcome to Kunming. Share the good parts of you so the sheltered people over here at least have another version as opposed to the Hollywood, MTV, and TV stereotypes.

AMEN!

@laotou We all bleed red, when stabbed in Kundu because we accidentally said hello to some Chinese guy's girlfriend.

Mightymouse, Only one person identified his color and that was Calgrad so his is the only response that has any relevance as far as I am concerned. Calgrad clearly states - I've been in China a long time and racism in China is not like it is in the States. I'm mixed (Black and White) and I haven't had any problems. I've had no problems with anyone in Kunming.

You did not state where you are from so I have no way to compare racism in China (There is no racism here in China) with any other country that you may have experience with.

I am not white or anglo and I have never had any problems with racism in the last 8 years in China or 3 years in Japan. Like Calgrad, I am giving you firsthand knowledge on the topic not something I read in an article or heard from a friend of a friend. White people have no idea what it feels like to be pulled over by the police in Amerika for DWB at least 3 times in less that 5 miles. When white people talk about racism they usually begin with - I have a friend...

@HFCAMPO, sorry but your last sentence hints at ignorance and lack of knowledge about what consitutes racism. Let's not get off topic here by comparing America to China but let me just comment on your "getting pulled over by the police in AmeriKa (it's spelled AmeriCa dude)" comment: In a country as diverse as America, that kind of crap is not going to happen.

But yes, in China, if you are white, black, an ethnic minority, i.e. anyone not from the majority you WILL experience discrimination, and yes, it is called racism. Just because racism in China may be more subtle than in other nations, it doesn't mean there's no problem.

Similarly, how do you know that the people you walk past aren't saying something negative about you behind your back? I mean, if I spent all my time worrying about what everyone might be saying about me as I walk on a street in Kunming I'd surely lose a lot of sleep, but at least I'm not in such a state of denial to think that people will treat me the same as locals. I can guarantee you that there WILL be locals talking about you behind your back; this wouldn't happen if you were considered to be a local.

China is a homogeneous nation and homogeneous nations are by definition proud nations that will discriminate against minorities even if they don't want to admit it. In Asia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are all much more heterogeneous than China and similarly, much more used to foreigners, thus discrimination will be felt much less in those countries than in China. The same comparison can be made between the USA/Canada/Australia and Poland/Russia/Ukraine etc. As a minority in any of the first three countries no one will even notice you, but in the latter three countries discrimination does occur quite frequently, particularly in Russia.

Anyway OP, to make your stay in Kunming and China as memorable as possible, you shouldn't worry too much about discrimination. Just realize that it does exist, but just try to go about your days as best you can and understand that whatever discrimination you may encounter is usually quite subtle and often born out of ignorance and lack of exposure to immigrants more than anything else. At least in Kunming, foreigners are still rare and thus few locals have had any real dealings with them so hence they are still treated as a kind of novelty, which for someone like me who does not like fame, is annoying, but at least it's never threatening.

Take a look at this article to give you some perspective: www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/02/09/090209fa_fact_osnos

Yuanyangren - Since you have taken the initiative to comment to me directly I shall reciprocate in kind. I do Not know you. I do not know if you are young, middle aged or old. I merely replied to a post on this forum. I did not direct my reply to you or anyone else on this forum. Therefore, I was not attacking you but for some reason you are defensive. As the saying goes, If the shoe fits, wear it. You have put the spotlight on yourself.

I will use your own words - your last sentence hints at ignorance and lack of knowledge - Thank you for proving my point and showing your own ignorance and lack of knowledge since you do NOT know the meaning of AmeriKa. It is not mispelled, it has a specific meaning which you obviously know nothing about.

But let me just comment on your "getting pulled over by the police in AmeriKa comment: In a country as diverse as America, That Kind Of Crap Is Not Going To Happen. Obviously it has not happened to you, I wonder why? Ever heard of profiling? Do you even know what DWB is? Those 9 words you wrote just made you lose any credibility and are evidence that you are not qualified to comment on this topic. I perfectly understand that in your reality this has never happened but this is 100% reality for many people of color in the US.

Let's not get off topic here by comparing America to China. The title of this post is - How are Black-Americans treated? Aside from the obvious spelling error caused by the letter Q which is above the letter A on the keyboard, the OP is not asking about black Africans, or black hispanics or Thais, so there clearly is a Direct relevance to comparing Amerika with China. To tell a black american that there is racism in Kunming, China is as absurd as telling an Eskimo or a Russian that it gets cold in the winter in Kunming. Nothing is absolute, all things are relative to perspective and experience.

Similarly, how do you know that the people you walk past aren't saying something negative about you behind your back? People talking behind someone's back is not discrimmination nor racism - This is more in the realm of Paranoia - not racism. As a foreigner in China, I am offered a seat on a bus, people come up to me and want to engage in conversation, they ask me questions, they ask me where I am from. This is Not racist behavior!