In North America, “Oriental” when it refers to people is now generally considered old-fashioned, and many find it offensive. “Asian” is preferred, but not “Asiatic.” It’s better to write the nationality involved, for example “Chinese” or “Indian,” if you know it. “Asian” is often taken to mean exclusively “East Asian,” which irritates South Asian and Central Asian people.

In the UK, “Asian” usually refers exclusively to people of South Asian descent (from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc.).

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