This is relatively new.
And I’ve seen the same in the US.
Somehow, North African Semites (not Jewish), who should be called Arabs, are now called Asians. As if there is some connection between China and them...
And, they are almost always Arab Moslems. (these thugs)
It bothers me that a people who have done nothing to deserve it being dragged into this with the term ‘Asian.’
I agree with you, Sarah. It is veiling the truth about who is doing what...who is responsible in dark actions and crimes of Muslim radicalism.
Can’t comment on how this usage is applied in the U.S.: but here in Britain ‘Asian’ has long been the colloquial term for any brown-skinned person originating, or appearing to originate, from any of the countries of the Indian sub-continent. It’s used equally for a Hindu from Gujerat, a Sikh from the Punjab, a Buddhist from Sri Lanka anybody, of any religion or none, from any of those countries. Contrary to a widespread assumption in the U.S., we don’t use it only, or even mainly of Muslims, and ‘Muslim’ isn’t necessarily implied when you read it in a British press report. The usage long predates PC, from the time when most of the people in Britain from the Asian continent were, indeed, from India.