ubernoir wrote:

note Asian in UK English usually means of Indian or Pakistani decent ie the Asian sub continent not the Far East which in UK English is referred to as the Orient (although technically orient just means asia - it's a usage thing)

I thought "orient" referred to the middle east...

Also that its sometimes offensive to some when used in regard to a person as opposed to an object.

RE: BBC NEWS | UK | Asian MI5 and MI6 officers speak