Until someone calls you out on it, then its "just a joke", lighten up", "I'm just having a little fun", "stop taking everything so seriously", "You're making a mountain out of a molehill", "brewing a tempest in a teapot", "you're blowing everything out of proportion", "see, even Chinese people aren't offended by it".

Its a racist stereotype, not because its all that offensive (it really isn't) but because it gives offensive racists the satisfaction they're getting away with something at the expense of the LIBS. Ha Ha. Lets go Brandon. It gives them the opportunity to accuse anyone who calls them out for it of "political correctness". And it lets them accuse people who won't let them get away with it of being "woke".

I'm a Southerner. Its racist. I smell Confederate turd all over it.

I know Canadians are not immune or exempt from racism. No one is, not even black folks (or Asians, for that matter). But at least up North it doesn't express itself as violence. But little jokes like this are the first step. Cowards like to test the water before they really get wet.