How fitting it would be if the latest return visit to Asia by America's top diplomat, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, on behalf of America's first African-American president, also helped to push the region, including China, to move beyond stereotypes. This is critical if Asia is to move forward toward greater peace and prosperity.
Whether it's China with its large Uighur and Tibetan populations or Myanmar, aka Burma, with more than 130 distinct ethnic groups, Asia is facing growing protests and unrest among minority communities who feel poorly served by national government policies and attitudes.
Use of ethnicity, race or religion to divide or define one's own citizens should have no place in the Asia of today, whether in giant India under newly elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi or the smallest Pacific island nation.