Three years ago, I met a girl at a nightclub in Coventry, England, where many ethnic Chinese students – from mainland China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and elsewhere – often gather. We arranged to meet up the next day for a formal date. The vibes were good at the start. Arrived on time. Greetings. Drinks and snacks. And then, at some point, I innocently uttered the phrase: “Because we from Hong Kong…” My date, from mainland China, swiftly interrupted me. She raised her voice and eyebrows, signaling how angry she was. She rapped the table with her fingers and snapped:...