Probably many of you have seen the middle-aged Chinese woman throwing a tantrum at Hong Kong International Airport last month. After checking in and making it to the gate without incident she somehow managed to disappear until the gate had already closed. She proceeded to throw an enormous tantrum, a public display of hysteria that included tears, flailing limbs and undulating on the floor as if experiencing some kind of demonic episode. Her bemused and hard-put-upon husband stood quietly by during this public display of insanity, even when his wife publicly castigated him for not holding the gate open until she arrived.

My heart went out to that man. She had better be from a rich and powerful family who fast-tracked his career to the highest echelons of the Party to put up with nonsense like that. Why else should he be forced to suffer such public humiliation, not only at the airport, but also on YouTube and the countless media outlets worldwide that commented on his wife’s attention-grabbing histrionics? Oops, guess we’re guilty too.

What bothered me was not the woman’s behaviour so much as her attitude. Why did she think it would be acceptable to turn up so late, leaving other passengers waiting, delaying the flight while her bags were removed, just so she could pore over gold duty-free handbags while ignoring repeated tannoy messages demanding she get on the plane? Why would she behave in such a childish and embarrassing manner in public and then, by openly reprimanding him in public, drag her husband down with her? Public displays of affection are one thing – I heartily condone and indulge in them as often as I can lay my hands on someone willing to participate – but these public displays of immaturity are unacceptable.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that squeezing out a few tears can get you a long way in life. I remember one night at dinner, I had been eyeing up the last slice of vienetta dessert, the cold creamy taste still on my lips from the piece I had just finished, only for my mother to serve it up to our house guest. My world began to crumble in that moment and I knew I only had one weapon left. I sucked in a lungful of air, screwed up my face and let rip with the waterworks for all I was worth. A few seconds later, that slice of frozen chocolate heaven was mine. And you know what? I was six years old!

However, this whole little princess routine, with the baby voice and big doll-like eyes, the sulking and screaming surely has no place in this day and age. Women have fought for centuries for the same rights and privileges men have seemingly always enjoyed. But now that they have the equality they have fought so long and hard for, are they really going to stand idly by and let old-school tactics like these upset the apple cart? Surely, women – and I’m not talking to the powder kegs of pent-up insecurity here, I mean the sober, sensible, well-adjusted, emotionally eloquent… hmmm, who am I kidding?

A friend of mine used to date a local Chinese girl. He would take her to parties and gatherings, where she would sit in the corner, making little or no effort to talk to anybody. She spoke excellent English and there were plenty of Cantonese speakers around too, but this girl was always reluctant to make conversation, even when addressed directly. My friend would work the room, catching up with friends and enjoying the occasion, but sooner or later his girlfriend would crack. Every time – guaranteed – she would explode on him, openly scolding him at the top of her voice for ignoring her and for talking to other girls in front of the whole room. She would then storm out and my poor friend would be forced to scurry after her, trying to apologize for daring to enjoy himself.

We all questioned why he let her treat him that way and why he stayed with her, but nobody ever thought to ask her what she was doing and hoping to achieve. Surely she understood there are ways to winning arguments and getting what you want – women practically invented the art of manipulation after all. Belittling and humiliating a man in public is not the way to do it. Everyone knows the male ego is fragile – she’s likely to provoke a knee-jerk reaction that will only make the situation worse.

Women have walked out on me before, expecting me to follow, but I make a point of never doing so. I’m not entirely sure why and it doesn’t always work, but a man’s got to have his principles and running after a woman, frantically apologizing, is just silly. If she stays in the room she gets an apology, if she leaves, she gets nothing. If she screams and shouts and rolls around on the floor, however, she gets free return tickets in business class. Maybe I’ve missed the point.