A host on the official Chinese Central Television station, whose call for the throwing out of“foreign trash” on his personal microblog fanned the flames of a ferocious online debate about expatriates in China and backed by many Chinese netizens after they were enraged by last week’s incident in which a British male molested a Chinese girl on Beijing downtown streets, is considering suing a U.S. blogger who accused him of xenophobia for libel, according to the official China Daily.

Yang Rui, who hosts Dialogue, an English-language current affairs showed aimed at foreigners, said Charlie Custer, editor of China Geeks, had “damaged his reputation”, and that is considering filing a lawsuit, the report said.

"His remarks are nothing but libel against a sincere and conscientious host who has been devoted to international cultural exchanges for 13 years," Yang told the China Daily in a telephone interview.

Custer declined to comment on Yang’s accusation when contacted by the China Daily.

Responding to the recently launched 100-day “cleaning house” campaign to rein in illegal entries, residency and employment of foreigners in Beijing, Yang called some foreigners in China “thugs”, “snake heads” and “spies” in his Sina Weibo post.

“The public security wants to clean out the foreign trash. To arrest foreign thugs and protect innocent girls...; the laid-offs from the U.S. and Europe came to China to grab money by human trafficking and spreading deceitful lies to encourage emigration; to distinguish foreign spies who chase Chinese women for cohabitation…; to kick out young bitches, to shut Al Jazzera’s Beijing office, to shut up those who demonize China..,” he said. 

Melissa Chan, until very recently the head of Al Jazzera’s Beijing office, was this month expelled from China after the Chinese authorities refused to renew her press credentials and visa. She has won acclaim from China watchers for her coverage of the country’s development.

"I stick to my opinion, even if my wording is harsh," Yang told the China Daily.

“It is extremely insulting that an anchor on CCTV Dialogue, a show that is meant to be about intercultural exchange, would propagate such racist, hateful speech,” Custer, a blogger from the U.S. said in his Sina Weibo.

“Therefore, we request that CCTV terminate Yang Rui’s contract immediately and condemn his prejudiced and inaccurate weibo post,” he said, launching an online campaign calling for the host to be fired with a processed screenshot of Dialogue, labelling Yang a “xenophobe”. 

As of Monday lunchtime, Custer’s post has been reposted over 4,000 times and commented on 2,200 times, with most Chinese netizens backing Yang for his “right” comments.

@郭松民: What Yang Rui said was right. Why should he be fired?
@鹏海129: Yang Rui was telling the truth.
@成长中的kiki: The senior host was just exposing the reality and then some trash could not hold back any longer.
@沙漠的海风: What Yang Rui said shows he has no inclination to be a traitor. Traitors, who sell the national interests and people, rather than ultranationalists are the most horrible groups for China. 
@河东一员2738324534: I strongly recommend Yang Rui as the president of CCTV. If you agree, please RT.
@东源堂主: Yang Rui has years of experiences of living aboard. He must have certain knowledge about foreigners. I agree his voices.
@山人萧让: Yang Rui! A sober media personality and a wise Chinese! ...
@电子做饭: Al Jazzera is the mouthpiece for the U.S. and should be kicked out earlier. [Editor’s note: Al Jazeera is funded by the Qatari government and its coverage in the U.S. is very limited].
@许锐的世界: ... Though what Yang Rui said is extreme, we should not blacken him. Some words must be said out in extreme ways. Only then, it is courageous and upright. 

Other commentators directly attacked Charlie Custer, saying his anger indicated he is part of the “foreign trash” derided by Yang.

@主持人杨锐 (Yang Rui’s verified Sina Weibo account): You are so excited and unconfident. It seems that you truly have misconducted and committed malpractice, and should be cleaned out as trash. I recommend the public security bureau should look into your background. I suggest you cool down... I am against exclusivism. What I referred is those individual foreign thugs and trash, those with low-quality who cannot find a job in their own country and came to China to mess up... You are relating yourself with these labels. My job is done.
@老辣陈香: I hope Charlie Cluster does not confuse the public!
@天中陋室斋: People like him [Charlie Cluster] just do not want to hear truth from Chinese. He is just the person who should be fired most.

Yet many netizens mocked Yang for his outburst, with some criticising his behaviour as a public figure.

@街角的耶稣2012: What Yang Rui said was really a bit too much. Both Chinese and foreigners are people on the earth. There are thugs and trash in each country. There are also a lot among Chinese people and there are more than a few Chinese who are acting as thugs aboard. As a celebrity, he should not fan the flames. But the microblogger [Charlie Custer] should appeal to foreign broadcasting media [to act rationally].
@无牙虎LUCIFER: As a media personality, as a mouthpiece for the Party, especially at the main platform to show China to the outsiders, [Yang] should post his Weibo properly...
 @朝鲜族俱乐部: Please take those Chinese people who live abroad into consideration before you open your mouth [to cry foreign trash]. Your vulgar language is hurting Chinese people overseas. It is not a patriotic performance, but a very vulgar attitude. [cry] Everyone has his or her strengths and weakness. Must we learn the behavior of the trash? ... Don’t you lose your judgement?
@绿蚁新醅酒-能饮一杯无: He is supposed to be the best that China can offer to the world, well-educated and well-mannered and civilized or whatever, yet he used vulgarity to call names on a reporter lady, what a gentleman! 
@九支堂大当家：I don't know what Yang Rui's standards are to call Melissa Chan from Al Jazzera a "bitch"?