Staring
In more remote parts of China staring is not considered at all rude and can become tiresome for the foreigner. There may be many times during your trip or stay in China whereby you feel constantly looked at. And not fleetingly either. Staring can last a while. When you're trapped on a metro/subway it can be quite annoying, that's true.
Of course, they curious, that's all. No offence intended. But at the end of the day, it can get taxing especially if you're feeling down, tired or whatever and prefer not to be disturbed. Many foreigners don a hat, earphones and try to stay as inconspicuous as possible on public transport. This is less of an issue in the major cities and not even a thought in Hong Kong, but all across Mainland China, it'll happen to you.
You can stare back and they usually get the message after some time, or try a simple nod, smile or ‘Ni Hao’ (hello) to the onlookers to change the situation into a light-hearted affair. Staring annoys many foreigners and this affects their opinion of the Chinese, but it is important to remember that to them, staring is normal and it is also something you will also see them doing to one another.
Taking Photos
What they should not do, is take a photo of you without your permission if you are just going about your own business. This is not the norm but difficult to catch. It's an awkward moment, especially if you are travelling across China as a foreign family with little children. There is an obsession that everything can be photographed. I could explain the legal standpoint here but there's little point as you aren't exactly going to call the cops because someone took one photo of you, right? But anyway, it is a modern-day symptom of online culture that transgresses into how they interact and look at you. If you feel very unhappy, change your seat or move away. That's maybe best.
Try not to take too much offence and consider it a pleasure that you are the focus at that moment!
