I have a friend who lives in Japan, it is the same there apparently. He couldn't speak Japanese well and found it hard to socialise, now he is fluent and people approach him all the time.
People don't like to deal with the language barrier, so they just avoid it. It's probably worse in Asia because there are a really small number of English speakers compared to other countries.
Part of that is because, for English-speakers, Chinese and similar languages are among the hardest to learn.
I wanted to link the infographic specifically, for a quicker answer, but my work computer is blocking the image, so the whole article will have to do. Interesting enough, I think.
@innocentbystander since it's also relevant to what you were talking about in the last line.
Not many round-eyes take the time to learn their language.
I though it was interesting how it seemed like the waitress identified with the Asian-looking guy, and viewed the black guy as an outsider, at first.
But after she learned that the black guy was Chinese, and the Asian guy was a Bannana, it flipped.
At least, that's how it seemed to me.
I have a family member that spent time in China. He's a huge, red-headed, white-guy, but speaks Mandarin fluently.
Asians are almost always in disbelief at first, then they all want to talk to him, because it is a novelty for them. Not many round-eyes take the time to learn their language.