Earlier quoted context omitted.
I’m not sure how factual reporting on what is in China is invalidated as China bashing because similar phenomena occur elsewhere on the planet? Aka the what aboutism logical fallacy.
It's not whataboutism, I'm saying that this is perfectly normal and therefore I don't think it's valid criticism of China in particular.
For example, I was aware that Northeasterners are seen as a distinct group, but not in terms of external rejection, but rather internal cohesion, e.g. when one of my friends joked that hearing the Northeastern accent of his taxi driver made him feel almost at home.