Chinese media hurls racist comments at departing U.S. 'banana' envoy

A media organization in China used a racist slur to criticize departing U.S. Ambassador Gary Locke.

Locke, who left his role Saturday, received a highly undiplomatic send-off from the China News Service in an editorial that referred to him as a 'banana', and a 'guide dog' for helping a blind activist.

The derogatory comment even blamed Locke for Beijing's notorious air pollution.

According to the report, Locke was seen as a trailblazer in highlighting the PM 2.5 particulate matter carried in the thick blankets of smog over Beijing.

He presided over the introduction of PM 2.5 monitors at the US embassy and consulates around China, drawing widespread attention to the stubborn problem of pollution, the report said.

However, the Chinese media in its article wrote that 'once Locke arrived, so did the Beijing smog'.

According to the Japan Times, the 64-year old became the first ethnic Chinese in the post when he was appointed in 2011.

The article further read that Locke was a banana with yellow skin and a white heart, calling Locke's ethnicity a ploy by the United States to win Chinese hearts and minds while seeking to kick up trouble in the region.

The article added that the 'yellow skin' of bananas however would eventually rot, not only revealing the 'white core' inside but also turning into a putrid 'black core'.

Citing unnamed foreign media outlets, the article accused Locke of luxuriating in a 100 million dollars official residence and traveling in a fancy bullet-proof vehicle.

The editorial also tagged him as a 'guide dog' for assisting blind activist Chen Guangcheng in 2012.

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