A man has been denied a free bubble tea at a Sydney promotional event after being told the giveaway was “for Chinese people only”.

In a video published earlier this month, the man approached a promotional stand where a woman could be seen holding two Mixue drinks, with promotional items laid out on the table.

“Hi, this [is] only for Chinese people,” the woman can be heard telling him.

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The man repeated her words to confirm what she had said, to which the woman replied: “Yeah.”

After being told the drinks were bubble milk tea, he asked if he could have one.

“No,” the woman said with a smile.

When he asked why, she replied: “Because you’re not Chinese.”

“How do you know I’m not Chinese?” the man responded.

“You can speak Chinese to me,” the woman said.

The man then spoke Japanese to her, prompting the woman to frown before the interaction ended.

The woman can be heard repeatedly saying the drinks were only for Chinese people. Credit: millau027/TikTok

Turning the camera on himself afterwards, the man said he had been thirsty after buying bread from a nearby Asian bakery and claimed he had just experienced “racism” for the first time.

Mixue, a bubble tea and ice cream chain originating in China, has since publicly apologised.

“We are aware of the recent video circulating online involving the distribution of Mixue drinks during a promotional activity, and we sincerely apologise for the concern and disappointment this has caused,” the company said. 

Mixue said the woman featured in the video was not employed by the company but was participating in a promotion organised by Fantuan, an Asian food delivery platform.

“The individual was not acting on behalf of Mixue,” the statement said.

“The comments made in the video do not represent Mixue’s values or the way we serve our community.”

The company said its stores welcomed people from all backgrounds.

“We are committed to treating every customer with respect, regardless of their race, nationality, language or background. Discrimination of any kind has no place in our business,” it said.

“While the incident did not involve our staff, we recognise that our products were used as part of the promotion, and we understand why members of the public have associated Mixue with what occurred. For that, we are genuinely sorry.

“We value Australia’s diverse community and thank everyone who has taken the time to share their concerns.”

Mixue said it had immediately stopped supplying products for Fantuan promotional activities until further notice.

Mixue expanded into Australia in 2023. Credit: Facebook

Fantuan has denied the giveaway was restricted to Chinese people, saying the woman’s comments did not reflect the instructions provided for the campaign.

“Fantuan does not have, and has never had, a policy of restricting promotional items or services based on race or ethnicity,” a spokesperson told 7NEWS.com.au.

The company said people from a range of backgrounds had received free drinks during the promotion after completing its requirements.

It acknowledged the language used during the interaction was “inappropriate” and said it had since reviewed its promotional guidelines and strengthened training and communication standards.

“As the organiser of the promotion, we take responsibility for ensuring that individuals involved in our promotional activities receive clear guidance and appropriate supervision,” the spokesperson said.

Fantuan also urged people to be respectful towards the woman in the video, revealing she was a student who had faced online attention and personal commentary since the video went viral.

“While we acknowledge that the wording used during the interaction was inappropriate, we also hope that the conversation surrounding the incident remains respectful, particularly toward the individual involved,” the statement said.

Mixue was founded in Zhengzhou in 1997 but has surged in popularity in recent years, becoming known for its ultra-cheap ice cream and drinks.

It entered Australia in 2023, opening its first local store at Sydney’s World Square, and has since expanded its global footprint to more than 45,000 stores.