Earnest if devious oriental (7)

I believe the answer is:

eastern

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'oriental' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)

'earnest if devious' is the wordplay.
'earnest' can be anagrammed to 'EASTERN'.
Though, I'm not sure how this is indicated.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for eastern that I've seen before include "towards the sun" , "Coming from the Orient" , "Maybe Chinese" , "Chinese', for example" , "Of the direction of the rising sun" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail.

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