Why some white people don't take the biracial as biracial but take them as the fully asian?

one of my friend is a normal white person. his dad is fully caucasian ( european) and his mom is caucasian( european) part chinese. I think his face looks quite like Israeli or lebanese. I have been introduced him to my boyfriend and my other friends. after that I begin to notice that my boyfriend and my other friends who are fully white couldn't remember his name. his name is english of course but they seem can not remember and everytime when theyw ant to mention about that friend of me. they will call him "that chinese friend of you" instead of his name.