Could this article be provocative on purpose? This seems like something that is written to provoke outrage, and exactly what I would do if I were running anti-chinese propaganda. It's unconfirmably anecdotal, the victim is a female Boston college student (very easy to sympathize with), and fits in the "China is expanding their fascist policies" narrative.

In the same vein, if I were running Chinese propaganda, I'd probably write a story about how a fat American in China demands a Chinese laborer give up their seat because they are inferior.