The Virginia Tech tragedy caused them shocked and concerned Asian Americans. Reported Joanna Law, some Asian Americans concerned about stereotype and national reputation
when Cho Seung-Hui was first mistakenly reported as a Chinese immigrant and later a Korean. When the media first made a mistaken report on Cho's ethnic background as Chinese, the authorities in mainland China were especially alarmed. The Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao even openly criticized certain American media for their irresponsible ethics and inaccurate information.
Ms. Law interviewed some students at De Anza College in which has four percent of its student body were international. Alex Lin, a Chinese-American and a first year political science student, said a notion of "perpetual foreigner" exists in America. Sung Kim, a Korean-American and a fourth year journalism student, was distressed by the fact that the killer was a Korean-American.
Nevertheless, some Asian-American students at De Anza College said they treated Cho as an individual regardless of his nationality, so they did not have any uneasiness or embarrassment after knowing Cho's ethnic background.
Most Asian-American students at De Anza College say the massacre won't cause any possible
racial backlash in the Bay Area or on campus because of the racial diversity in California.
(Source: La Voz Weekly, Apr 30, 2007