Stumbled on this thread while looking for goofy English Corner questions and I feel like making a reply.
I enthusiastically respond to students or other Chinese who want to spend time with me in order to improve their English or hang out with someone from a foreign country. It's basically in my nature, and one thing you have to give Chinese credit for is exceptional effort at being hospitable with foreign strangers.
However, time and again I run into a problem that, when I get to the heart of it, has nothing to do with culture or appropriateness, and nothing to do with English or Chinese, and it's the same problem that Chinese have with each other 24/7 that they usually solve by avoidance or habitual obliviousness.
Listening is a basic skill beyond aural function, frequency range, and dB sensitivity. How do you respond to someone who is essentially attacking you verbally in a violent, one-way oral assault with mouth open and ears turned off?
How do you do anything non-violent with a person who refuses to listen, refuses a two-way communication, and forcefully projects bizarre stereotypes onto you, tries to pressure you into gan-bei, etc? The polite Chinese way is to sort of smile at your assailant, nod a bit, utter no words, maybe grunt, and voila: a "polite conversation".