The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word EASTERNERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
E
A
S
T
E
R
N
E
R
S
More clues leading to the result EASTERNERS
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Perhaps Chinese" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case perhaps chinese = easterners.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EASTERNERS mean?
EASTERNERS noun- A native or inhabitant of the east of a region (or of the world as a whole), such as one of the eastern United States.