Why a fling with a foreigner insults China’s “national dignity”

为何与外国人交往会侮辱中国的“国家尊严”?

Economist

2025-07-17

3 分钟
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  • China Sexism in China Trouble from Olympus A tryst between a Chinese student and a Ukrainian gamer sparks outrage.

  • Like his Greek namesake, Danilo Dezlenko,

  • formerly a professional gamer known online as Zeus, presents himself as a ladies' man.

  • On a trip to China in December, the Ukrainian had a tryst with a female student.

  • and without permission shared intimate, though not sexual, videos of her online in a fan group.

  • One clip showed her sleeping.

  • But it is she who has faced a storm over their encounter.

  • On July 8th, Dalian Polytechnic University identified her in a public notice of expulsion.

  • The institution says that engaging in improper relations with foreigners and damaging national dignity are prohibited under its student code.

  • Related hashtags, including some which explicitly mention the woman by name,

  • have been read more than 660 million times in recent days as national media outlets helped spread the story throughout the country.

  • She may be alive, but she's been handed a social death sentence, concludes one online commenter.

  • The decision has unleashed a torrent of misogyny and nationalist fervour among Chinese netizens.

  • online mobs have hounded the student, castigating her for throwing herself at a foreign man.

  • In response,

  • Mr. Deslenko apologized to the student and wrote of his deep respect for China and Chinese culture.

  • But he then fanned rumors by claiming that there was just one problem with what had occurred between them.

  • The only unfortunate thing is that the girl never mentioned she had a boyfriend.

  • I believe if it weren't for that detail, nothing bad would have happened, he declared.

  • Indignation at the nationalists' outrage is also widespread in China.