Bogus assumption.

It's not an assumption, it's the feeling I get from 90% of Chinese people I have contact with. Oh but excuse me, maybe it's my lip piercing and not the color of my skin. Silly me!

Redaria, you're correct in part. But it's more of about you being a foreigner than anything else. I've had Chinese people literally cover their mouth and nose when they came near or approached me. Like their hygene isn't the worst in the world. Some believe we carry viruses around.
The Black is related to, some think that every Black they see are from Africa, which gives them an assumption of thinking HIV. Stupid isn't it.
But once they get to know you, that changes. And for the most part, Chinese Boys really do like Black people, it's taboo, they really enjoy the music"everything from POP, to Rap and even blues", they love the fashionable clothes and shoes, if you can speak a little Chinese, you will see that most of it is just not knowing who you really are.

I've had very good Chinese friends, adorable in all regards, tell me with straight faces black people were thieves, dirty, etc...

Most Chinese have never shared a word with a black person, so they're just pulling everything out from either friends, stories from friends, or stories friends heard from friends (ie. never happened).

I do think it's changing though among the younger population, but even they would tell you it would be unthinkable to bring a black girlfriend or boyfriend to mom and dad...just unthinkable.

I mean, they discriminate amongst each other over skin color, so...

Mihouto,from your comment,the answer to it is being racist.Their Parents as far as i know are all racist..I was spelled out where i was working just because the parents,not the kids infact the kids love staying with me but their parents always seems angry when they see their kids falling inlove with a black man.
2.Atleast 90% of chinese are uneducated,they never live even their main city to another city least of travelling outside the country,so how do you expect them to feel when they see something they never dreamed of.
3.How the mediasare stereotyping African or black skins is different from how they show about others,from what they are seeing on the television,they do believe that any one who has black skin is from africa and must be from those part they have being seeing.
4.They are blame washed and so they think they are better than africans or black people in which they are 80 yrs behind when it come to civilization which means,THEY ARE NOT CIVILIZED.
5.They dont belong in any colour,they are not white and they are not black means they are Copy.
6.Mostly the women,they dont like the blacks or african because most of them,their passport or identity is as worst as theirs,so there is no need.They prefare Meiguo,Oudalia,Yinguo,Deguo just to run away.
I have experienced all this but when i looked at them,i laugh because i am far better than them,people who spilts in Restaurant,in the flight,public bus,name it,vomits anywhere they like....One of my friend calls it beautiful country that is filled with pigs so what do you expects from them.

hello nixoncutieView, are you living in your imagination? You should open your mind and push yourself to kown more Chinese people.

Think about all the stereotypes... Well a lot of Chinese believe them all. Not just for Blacks, but for a every other people.

Stereotype in China of black people:

- poor
- dirty
- sick (HIV)
- beggars and thieves
- sexual predators
- uncivilized

I don't know about you, but that pretty much sounds like the bogyman to me!

all i can say is that i never knew chinese faces are the most funniest faces in the world.

ive noticed a difference of opinion between western and east coast China on this issue...when i have lived in the west of China I have noticed there seems to be a much higher percentage of blacks living there than on the east coast...

This results is black people being less feared and i never heard someone say blacks were all thieves or might be dangerous while in Guizhou/Sichuan whereas i often heard it in Jiangsu/Zhejiang...

I feel it is all due to exposure the more different colours the person has met the better opinion they can have of them. Most schools on the East coast wont hire Blacks, in the west they will often accept any foreigner (prefer white but when it comes down to none or black).

You are talking about a nation of people that spend BILLIONS every year on whitening creams.

It's not just black people of African descent, the same stereotypes exist for people from India or anywhere else where the general complexion is not bleach white, and yes, even against other Chinese.

Dark skin means you are poor and need to work out in the sun. This is why women carry umbrellas with them. I mean, who would want to get a tan and look like some migrant worker?!?! The HORROR!

Strangely, most Chinese people seem to really like Obama and black celebrities from overseas, but a while back there was a pretty dark skinned Chinese girl that was on one of those singing shows (Super Girls I think) and there was a big stink because she was too dark.

It's going to take a while for China to be more open about this stuff.

Yes yes yes we know why the whole world is terrified of black people . We have AIDS , and we steal , and we kill , and we sell drugs , and like chicken yes yes we know .

Just like all white people go to other countries and enslave and colonize the natives , and do cocaine , and are serial killers , and wear shorts and flip flops during the winter .

Just like all Chinese people do kung fu , and have SARS , and have/are concubines , and spit/sh*t everywhere and own pandas .

Just like all Hispanic people are Mexican , and like to shank people , and are in gangs , and say "homes" every 3 seconds , and like 2 door Hondas with flame stickers on the side .

Wow , stereotypes are really great aren't they ? How about the whole world says screw stereotypes and gets to know people on an individual basis ?? Why hate someone based on race when you can get to know them and find SO many more reasons to hate them ???

You come to a country where they have lived outside of the world for 50 years.
What do you pretend? They won't look at you as something strange.

You come to a country populated by 99.9% of Chinese or Chinese-look like people.
What do you pretend? They won't look at you as something strange.

What will you do if you see a "green" man from the space? Won't you stare at it or won't you be afraid of it at the beginning?

My 1.5 year-old-child crossed for the first time an Indu-like person in the lift...Even if the guy was smiling to him, he got scared because he has never seen any before. He didn't have this reaction when seeing a black person because he's seen some before with my friends.....

My god, don't give a damn about it! And go through it!

Chinese don't have a problem with black people. It is more of a curiousity than anything else. Some of them have never seen a foreigner, let a lone a black foreigner...so it is all new to some. I have 2 wonderful Chinese best friends. They are the best.

I have also realized since I have been here that some Chinese are more stand-offish towards black people because they all think we are from Africa. Which is based on ignorance I presume. But they usually ask before they judge though. I don't know why some Chinese don't like Africans. 

One time, we had the most ignorant taxi driver ever. He was cursing at us in Chinese, and driving like a mad man, I hit my head on the window a few times. The worst yet. But that was the last that has happened.

Other than that, Chinese people that I have come across embrace us in their own was just like with any other foreigner: curiousity, genuinely happy, excited, paparazzi, you name it!

I have had a good experience since I have been here, aside from the taxi thing.

Racism is not the exclusive purview of one nation or of one ethnic group.  Racism is an endemic illness that afflicts all of mankind -- it is the inherent unwilliness to accept anything different from what one has experienced.  

A couple years back when riding the Beijing subway,  a migrant worker turned away from his buddies and blatently stared at a very African-esque lady who happened to be standing near me. Back in the day , I got used to the curious gazes, as the only white guy in the neighbourhood but I cringed at the possible uncomfortable outcome of this current exchange of these two.
After literally several minutes of being viewed as some exhibit, the lady lifted her eyes, and shot back back directly with a huge smile and a friendly "hello"!  The gruff worker blushed like a little boy and returned to his mates with a shy smile.
Fair or not, we foreigners and our behaviour do represent where we are from.
This women's grace and humour in what could have been an angry moment, left us all with an amusing memory.

@ mtom: So because you have 2 Chinese friends, "Chinese don't have a problem with black people"? 

I have Chinese friends who are like family to me, i've been on a few dates with a really great Chinese guy, but i'm not going to pretend that i'm not aware of the general racism and discrimination against dark-skinned people in China. 

I've had some beautiful encounters with Chinese people who were curious about me, they'd politely ask if my hair is real or not, can they touch it, comment on my skin tone etc. I had a elder Chinese man on the metro tell me i'm beautiful, and we went on to ask me where i'm from etc. I choose not to dwell on the negatives, mostly racist "statements of fact" some people post online on discussions regarding black people.

Just because it hasn't happened to you, that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist.

"I have also realized since I have been here that some Chinese are more stand-offish towards black people because they all think we are from Africa. Which is based on ignorance I presume. But they usually ask before they judge though."

Are you being serious right now? I'm sorry to break it to you but the other 99.8% who don't ask you if you're African or not, then do go ahead and "judge" you as they would any other dark-skinned person. So because the ones who do ask you, ask before they "judge" that makes it okay? Or it excludes you from the racist thoughts they have towards other black people?

I understand uppity thoughts based on your level of education, social standing in society, wealth etc, but to think you're a different kind of black person because you're "not African" is pathetic. Hahaha, i can just see you going around China introducing yourself like, "Hi...yes, i'm black, but i'm American"...Again, pathetic.
 

Television, internet, etc.
Also, there are lots of creepy african drug dealers in big cities, so of course they're going to assume that all black people are like that (just like they believe that white people just hump any pile of human meat they can find)
Remember that they recently opened to the world.

I'm Chinese and I wanna tell you, don't give a shit what those sick and dirty racists said or how those assbutts acted. I have black friends and they are nice!!!

meh... If history and experience have proven anything, it's that people are scared of that which they don't understand. 
Also, many Chinese people are always trying to prove to everyone else their importance in society. It's how society is in this country. It's the general mindset. Don't get me wrong. I'm not generalising cause I know that there're a lot of Chinese who don't act this way.
But this society runs on people looking up and down on others. Due to obvious reasons, many Chinese can't look down on white people. This subconcious inferiority complex brought on by society makes them feel better than or disrespect anyone or anything that they believe is lower than them.
The stereotypes of black people portrayed in the media doesn't help either. 
I'm a very passive guy. I never disturb, stare or fight with anyone. But the hate stares I get sometimes here are extreme. Almost as though I commited a capital offence by merely existing.

But, having been around a lot, my skin is thick and I just let race issues slide. With time hopefully, the Chinese will come off it and finally embrace a multicultural world without prejudice and fear of people from different parts of the world.  

China isn't the only country where these kind of issues arise.  Has anyone read or seen what Newt Gingrich has been saying in the United States?  It sounds like America before the Civil War.  It's disgusting.

As the Chinese expand their economic presence more-and-more into third world countries, and as they send more-and-more of their workers to these countries, perceptions will start to change, albeit slowly at first.

I am Black/Hispanic New Yorker and I been welcome into China by my friend's family who are like my own family even better. I am having baby with a Chinese woman and my Chinese friends are happy for me. I guest I really don't pay too much mind to racist , for me I think New York has their own form of racism and it helps to know yourself and carry yourself well. Work hard and be honest because you are judge quickly , maybe I am lucky to be in the city of Wuhan , it has its ups and downs people can be rude in general but no one has said or treated me bad because of my skin color. Maybe they can't tell because they think I have some asian in me , who cares ? 

The same reason white people are afraid of them back home. Stereotypes.

I've found it to be entertaining and let it be water under the bridge. I'm not even bothered with the random pointing and touching anymore...from grown ass people I might add.

Its life here and you have to understand people do fear what they don't know or understand everywhere in the world. It just really smacks you in the face here sometimes.

My experience in china has overall been great. Although I have been asked on many occasions if I were a NBA Basketball player ( i am tall), or if I am African. I have had my picture taken with kids. Parents have  pushed the kids up to my table while dining to say hello and practice their English. I travel to China a few times a year for business, and it would be great to have more friends to hang out with and teach my culture to.