Over the years I have been attacked for being foreign as well, not physically but verbally many times. Also people have taken advantage financially because they know they can get away with it.

There have been quite a lot of past violent incidents toward foreigners in Kunming too, frequently around Kundu, so I'm not surprised to hear of another incident.

In my opinion the Chinese government is partly at fault for creating this problem through insufficiently holistic education and the constant broadcasting of anti-Japanese and anti-foreign fictionalized historical propaganda films. The message to young, frustrated urban Chinese guys is "It's not just OK - but positively heroic - to be nationalist, violent and aggressive toward people from other countries [because obtuse historic incident justification]."

Furthermore, the police are useless, and a lot of kids have nothing to lose anyway (no job, no direction).

Very well said voltaire. And my view exactly.

. sorry..had to delete that too. dont really know what its possible to say anymore, without getting that creeping feeling.

@Voltaire So u have been here for 17 odd years and have never been physically attacked? Not to make light of ur other hassles but there is a big difference in my view.

I really do not get it. I have been here going on 14 years this Dec and I have never been attacked in any way - verbally or physically. Keep in mind that I am always photographing taxi and bus drivers and reporting them or threatening to report them for not using their meters. I do this in plain site with 10-20 other cabbies standing around in front of many bus stations. Great opportunity for them to jump on me or my wife gang style.

Years ago, I stopped 8 chinese guys in their 20s from beating the crap out of another smaller chinese guy. I did this by grabbing the biggest guy there by the throat. Neither he nor his 7 buddies resisted and they let the other guy go. I am 166 cm, the big guy was over 175 cm. They could have easily turned on me but they did not.

This case seems unique in that the person (Liam) attacked was not under the influence or hanging out in Kundu or doing other alcohol related activities. Every time I hear of these attacks I always wonder what was the triggering element as most chinese are not aggressive. Again, this case is atypical.

I have found that a simple smile can prevent 95% of any altercation and the eye of the tiger can avoid the remaining 5%.

@ Campo: Despite our various differences, I'm with you on what you've written above, unless you wanted to include passing young kids saying 'laowai' in a cutesy voice as a 'verbal attack' - which would strike me as ridiculous, and I don't think you're being ridiculous.

who says kids saying laowai is a verbal attack? me or you?

Are you aware of what you wrote before you hit the Post button?

I think most foreigners fail to understand the meaning of this situation. One kid will make the others aware that there is a foreigner present by saying laowai. There is no malice in this. It is like any one of us saying, look at the that cat over there or see that person in a wheelchair or look at the very tall person or very short person or look at the sexy girl.

Another situation that is not understood by foreigners is the Hello issue. Most chinese are lacking in self confidence they are always talking with that nervous laugh when they encounter strangers. When they say Hello and seem to be laughing they are NOT mocking you, they are just awkwardly trying to be friendly by saying hello.

"I have found that a simple smile can prevent 95% of any altercation and the eye of the tiger can avoid the remaining 5%."

Very true

In the situation I described above about the 8 guys beating up another guy. If I had grabbed a smaller guy, rather than the biggest guy there, I would have surely started a gang fight and they would have turned on me. When I grabbed the big guy, I simultaneously yelled Enough! in English which they could not understand. But they could see in my eyes that I was ready to throw down with the lot of them and they did absolutely nothing. I pity the fool - Mr. T.

@ vicar Oh, there are many areas out there where this aint apply and a smile is dangerous. Not so many in China though.

If vicar is from India, as his name suggests, he should know in some areas there, a smile says you may be an easy target. Better to adapt to dystopic mood. Heh.