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| Dutch man waits 10 days in Chinese airport for 'girlfriend' | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| You might expect love to hurt, but for one lovesick Dutch man in China it resulted in a hospital trip for exhaustion. | You might expect love to hurt, but for one lovesick Dutch man in China it resulted in a hospital trip for exhaustion. |
| Alexander Pieter Cirk, 41, recently flew from Holland to Hunan province in the hope of meeting his online girlfriend, a Chinese woman known only as Zhang. | Alexander Pieter Cirk, 41, recently flew from Holland to Hunan province in the hope of meeting his online girlfriend, a Chinese woman known only as Zhang. |
| But he ended up spending 10 days waiting at Changsha airport, after she failed to show up. And he has won little sympathy in China. | But he ended up spending 10 days waiting at Changsha airport, after she failed to show up. And he has won little sympathy in China. |
| Mr Cirk told Chinese media that he met Ms Zhang, 26, in an app two months ago and romance blossomed. | Mr Cirk told Chinese media that he met Ms Zhang, 26, in an app two months ago and romance blossomed. |
| He decided to fly to visit her, but when he got to Hunan found no-one had come to meet him. | He decided to fly to visit her, but when he got to Hunan found no-one had come to meet him. |
| He refused to leave the airport for the next 10 days, and was eventually taken to hospital suffering physical exhaustion, according to reports by Hunan TV. | He refused to leave the airport for the next 10 days, and was eventually taken to hospital suffering physical exhaustion, according to reports by Hunan TV. |
| Ms Zhang contacted the TV channel a day after the report aired to give her side, saying that she had thought it had all been a joke. | Ms Zhang contacted the TV channel a day after the report aired to give her side, saying that she had thought it had all been a joke. |
| "We had advanced our romantic relationship but later he seemed a little callous towards me," Ms Zhang told Hunan TV. | "We had advanced our romantic relationship but later he seemed a little callous towards me," Ms Zhang told Hunan TV. |
| "One day he sent me a photo of air tickets abruptly and I thought it was a joke. He didn't contact me later." | "One day he sent me a photo of air tickets abruptly and I thought it was a joke. He didn't contact me later." |
| Ms Zhang also added that by the time Mr Cirk arrived at the airport, she was away having plastic surgery in another province and had turned off her phone. | Ms Zhang also added that by the time Mr Cirk arrived at the airport, she was away having plastic surgery in another province and had turned off her phone. |
| 'Why would anyone do this?' | |
| On Chinese social media, the majority of users were keen to point out the apparent absurdity of the man's actions. | On Chinese social media, the majority of users were keen to point out the apparent absurdity of the man's actions. |
| The hashtag "Foreign man went to Changsha to meet his online girlfriend" has been trending on micro-blogging site Weibo. | The hashtag "Foreign man went to Changsha to meet his online girlfriend" has been trending on micro-blogging site Weibo. |
| "He must be stupid, why would anyone do this?" asked one user. | "He must be stupid, why would anyone do this?" asked one user. |
| "Doesn't he know that everything in China is fake?" said another. | "Doesn't he know that everything in China is fake?" said another. |
| "Perhaps she did go to the airport, saw what he looked like, and promptly turned back around," was a theory proposed by another user. | "Perhaps she did go to the airport, saw what he looked like, and promptly turned back around," was a theory proposed by another user. |
| Others, however, had some sympathy. | Others, however, had some sympathy. |
| "Here's a guy taking a relationship seriously, don't play around with his feelings," the netizen said. "If you don't want him anymore, tell him so he can go home." | "Here's a guy taking a relationship seriously, don't play around with his feelings," the netizen said. "If you don't want him anymore, tell him so he can go home." |
| "What does this say about Chinese integrity?", asked another. | "What does this say about Chinese integrity?", asked another. |
| Mr Cirk was scheduled to fly home earlier this week. | Mr Cirk was scheduled to fly home earlier this week. |
| Ms Zhang reportedly said she would be keen to meet him after her recovery, saying she was still interested in maintaining their relationship. | Ms Zhang reportedly said she would be keen to meet him after her recovery, saying she was still interested in maintaining their relationship. |
| Reporting by Yvette Tan | Reporting by Yvette Tan |
| To what lengths have you gone for love? Share your stories via haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you're happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please include a telephone number. | To what lengths have you gone for love? Share your stories via haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you're happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please include a telephone number. |
| You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or use the form below | Or use the form below |