By Irving Feng
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – A Beijing restaurant owner, recently displayed a sign in the window of his establishment which read, “This shop does not receive, the Japanese, the Philippines, the Vietnamese and dog(s).”

The restaurant owner, identified only by his surname “Wang,” refused to serve patrons of the three ethnicities delineated in his sign.  His refusal to serve Japanese, Filipino, and Vietnamese customers is perhaps a nod to the extreme nationalism prevalent in China due to the history of maritime and national boundary disputes in the eastern part of the country and in the South China Seas.

The most recent dispute is an ongoing feud between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands (which the Chinese call the Diaoyu Islands).  The Japanese control the islands, however, Beijing lays claim to the island territory.  Vietnam and the Philippines are also feuding with Beijing over additional sets of islands in the South China Sea.

Frustrations and tension over these disputes has led to widespread Anti-Chinese demonstrations in Vietnam’s largest metropolitan hub, Ho Chi Minh City.  Additionally, thousands of Vietnamese resorted to posting on social networking sites and sending in comments to local newspapers to offer their angry reactions regarding the restaurant owner’s sign.

The restaurant owner removed the sign due to intense pressure from public outcries which he described to be “bothersome” and, perhaps, intrusive to his normal flow of business.  The central Chinese government has not condemned the restaurant owner’s actions nor issued any official statements regarding the matter.

Zhai Lei Ming, Chinese Consul General to Ho Chi Minh City, issued a statement to a local Vietnamese newspaper deploring Wang’s actions, saying it was “wrong” and “definitely unsatisfactory.”  Zhai commented that horrible people exist all over the world, and the opinions of the singular restaurant owner did not represent the opinion of the Chinese people or the central government.

Zhai lacked knowledge on why the central government had not released a statement or reprimanded the individual for his actions and could not comment on this issue.  When the restaurant owner was asked to comment, he told the press that he had no regrets regarding his actions and would not apologize for the sign.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in the Philippines, released a statement, possibly vindicating China, calling the restaurant owner’s actions an isolated incident.  Raul Hernandez, Assistant Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs, told a local newspaper that he hopes the sentiments of the restaurant owner are not state policy, and Filipinos are welcomed into Beijing restaurants.

For further information, please see:

The Age – Outrage over Beijing restaurant’s racist sign – 28 February 2013

BBC – China restaurant takes down maritime dispute sign – 28 February 2013

Breitbart – BEIJING RESTAURANT REMOVES ‘RACIST’ SIGN AFTER FURY – 28 February 2013

Tuoi Tre News – Beijing eatery wrong to post racist sign: Chinese diplomat – 28 February 2013