I always thought it was a way to be a dick to people or retaliate for something when you don't want to be confrontational because you're scared you'll lose your job or get a punch in the face.

What I think is real here is that people feel really disempowered. This is a real controlling, winner-takes-all kinda culture where people are afraid to stand up for themselves directly and don't feel in control of their lives.

So the one thing they have is that they can indirectly be unhelpful or difficult. It's like thats the only channel they have to feel any control over their lives, just passive aggressively being dicks.

I dunno about Chinese, but I 'experience' similar thing from Native English teachers facing successful Non-native chap....

'Off we go....'

I always thought that Chinese behavior stemmed from the insecurity that arises when people secretly know that all the arrogant, triumphant BS their government and mainstream culture (coupled with an increasingly ass-kissing Hollywood that can apparently never embarrass itself too much) spoon feed them from the cradle, has no basis in reality. They have all the form, and zero the substance, all the time. For all their jingoistic sillieness, they know it.

They say that they have an ancient, mysterious culture stretching back 5000 years, but modern PRC culture hasn't been around 50 and contributes very little culturally to the world (PRC culture, in fact, inserts itself parasitically into other culture's contributions and accomplishments all the time). They say that they work harder than Westerners, but produce far less, substantively, and embarrass themselves in companies where Chinese and waiguoren work side by side. They are quick to point out that Western governments act like bullies, while their own government erhnically cleanses recalcitrant territories, shuts down the internet of xinjiang, and gobbles up the territory of neighboring countries. Their biggest companies are Internet-based rip-offs of foreign ones, kept afloat by a captive market created by hyper protectionist government policies that stifle their competitors--in addition to legal hijinks. And, deep down in their nong brains, they know how low they stack up, and they know that their country loses face to the world every day. The human reaction is to act out and take pot shots when they can...it's all that they can do. 

I almost pity them. But it is a design of their own making. 

It's BCLD Syndrome.  I'd met the odd person suffering this before coming to China but it really is an epidemic here.  No known treatment.

"Hitler Complex" can also be used to explain this type of passive-aggressive (being in a disadvantageous position) and openly hostile (when they think they can afford to, which is becoming more and more common) behaviors. Hitler's family background is revealing. Apparently Alois, his father, a deceitful and violent man, abused him and his mother.

​Alois was an Austrian customs official and he was able to provide his family with a comfortable lifestyle; however, he and his son did not get along. Alois had a terrible temper and had a general bad attitude. He was obnoxious and conceited, and he often took his problems out on his children.

His wife was the complete opposite from him, but she had virtually no power in the household. Coupled with the fact that women did not have much power to begin with, she was dealing with an aggressive and dominating husband. 

http://biography.yourdictionary.com/articles/adolf-hitlers-childhood.html

Out of five siblings he (edited: and his sister) were the only two to survive meaning he was familiar with death at an early age.

When one looks at communist PRC and notice the violent, ruthless, deceitful, abusive nature of PRC communists, all the way from the way they grab power to the cultural revolution, one can easily see the remarkable similarities with Hitler's abusive father and victimized mother. The way Hitler cheated the Allies to buy time before WW II (CCP's 'peace promise' to the world, sounds familiar?) and used the Jews as a scapegoat for Germany's then lousy economy (full of sh*t excuses, blamer, take anger out on others......sounds familiar?) was probably something he learnt well from his father too.

Hitler did well in school as a kid. He also managed to amass followers as a kid indicating he has his ways with propaganda, PR work. He failed at school later though. Propaganda, PR guanxi, doesn't this ring a bell with CCP? Note that Napoleon didn't start a world war but Hitler did. If you look at the hostile behaviors toward foreigners from many a Mainlanders you know first hand that to them WW III is already on. We are talking about 1+ billion of Hitlers.  

For those who are interested the article would be a good read.

Napolean wasn't actually short... he was of average height for his region.

However, not the point.

A bit off topic, but it seems to me "the world" is waiting for China to "break out". In a sense, it kinda is (2 things come to mind:  island building in china sea, and ongoing projects in Africa). But also, it kinda isnt. Granted, it is a great power per wikipedia, but it seems the world is waiting [and/or expecting?]  China to take the lead on world relations, events, etc. at least some of the time. They dont for the most part. It seems they are too pre-occcupied with other things I guess. anyway, thats JMHO.