The problem is there is nothing to tell you what "ones" refers to. Making it singular ("Near vermilion, one gets stained red; near ink, one gets stained black") would help. In very formal language we can use "one" to mean something like "the typical person", but this only works in the singular. "Ones" must have an obvious plural antecedent -- something already mentioned that "ones" refers to.

As to whether this is a typical mistake of Chinese speakers, I couldn't say.

Bingley


Bingley