[lotsofpulp]

In the US, Asian = people from eastern Asia. In the UK, Asian = people from southern Asia.

[vinay427]

Sure, but even if we continue to abide by this inconsistent terminology, "eastern Asia" is not the same thing as China, so the OP's point still seems relevant.

[lotsofpulp]

I'm not endorsing the use of the terminology, nor do I use it, but that has been my experience with others who use it in the US and UK. I know the US Census lumps Indians and Chinese together in one as Asian, but colloquially, I never hear anyone in the US refer to Indians as Asians.

[EliRivers]

Speaking as someone from the UK, when I say "Asian" I mean East Asian, and when I mean someone from South Asia, I name the specific nationality.

For example, I generally wouldn't refer to someone from India as "Asian".

[toasterlovin]

FWIW, all the UK coverage of the grooming gang scandals refers to the perpetrators as Asian (they are mostly South Asian, and definitely not East Asian).