The NBA finds itself in hot waters after the general manager of Houston Rockets Daryl Morey expressed his support for Hong Kong protesters in his now-deleted tweet that read, “fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.” Although the NBA released a statement calling it regrettable for the views of Daryl Morey to have offended friends and fans in China, a comment by NBA head Adam Silver who expressed support for freedom of speech further fuelled the ire of the Chinese public.
Former NBA player Yao Ming who is now chairman of the Chinese Basketball Association has said that it would cut ties with the Houston Rockets. This week marks the NBA Fan Night on Oct. 9 and the NBA China Games 2019 between Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 10. Many stars have issued statements to indicate that they will no longer be attending. Li Yifeng relayed his message through his studio saying that even though he is a basketball enthusiast, his motherland comes first.
Other stars who have released statements either through their own social media account or their studio also include Wu Jinyan, Zhou Yiwei, Bai Jingting, Zheng Yunlong and Fan Chengcheng. Chinese boy band UNINE said that their nine members are unified in upholding the One-China policy. Cai Xukun who previously collaborated with the NBA has also cut ties with the brand. Chinese state television CCTV has suspended broadcast of NBA games this week.
Anonymous
This is so dumb.
Anonymous
I understand patriotism but dang, they're getting dramatic by the day.
lala
they're right.
Anonymous
You're very ignorant, aren't you? Democracy is a Universal Value, aspired by all human being, regardless of country of origin. Unless you're a communist shrill with no backbone and indoctrinated since birth.
Anonymous
It is not about democracy being a universal value either, but what people of Hong Kong want, ie. preventing oppression and human right violations from CCP.
Anonymous
NBA has no backbone, for capitalism that they sell out democracy. I for one not is into South Park but their "band in China" episode is so on point with the current China censorship. Yes, they also get ban in China and I really like the creators "apology" to China. Their damn censorship is making everything suck, they need to take a chill pill. What will China when more and more companies take a stance for democracy, China need the world as much as the world need them. The more you cater to them, the more they are going to demand for more. Are we all going to live as one big Communist world?
Anonymous
Before you buy into how our media industrial complex is playing up this affair, hear whether it really has to do with democracy at all in HK from locals, such as Granny here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPYuGYLesx0) get to know alternative viewpoints and comments (even though it's difficult if you can't speak more than English.) The world is complex, with intricate histories that we cannot gloss over with our history 101 understandings. Sorry, this site shouldn't turn political, and politics is only one – albeit tiny slice – of life. Not everyone wants to turn it into a with or against them kind of thing.
Anonymous
Nope, they support suppression of Democracy.
lala
You're very young, aren't you?Democracy is not Universal value. You can't impose it on another culture.
Anonymous
yikes it's the usual, but your average chinese audience will still watch NBA lol this is all power play on the surface to avoid scrutiny smh
Unknown
Chinese celebrities are cowards. They should keep their mouth shut if they are afraid of the government.
Nanna36
Honestly Chinese celebrities have a right to do whatever they want but censoring NBA because they have different political wie is wrong. PS: China has no right for censorship in the USA. The NBA has no backbone at all. Every site could turn political ….That is the beauty of freedom of speech.
Anonymous
it depends on the "freedom of speech" intention. it is clear they want to rip china, broke it into smaller countries, as result of trade war and slow down china's impact in asia. china is fine without democracy and the people are prosperous (at least in the last decades, they're advancing, unlike those democracy country but filled of corruption, famine, and inflation).
daemul
i don't see chinese non democracy system is that bad. look at trumps policy on immigrants, look at suriah war, look at the countries said themselves as democracy but their country are famous for corruption, inflation, etc. china with its system is fine, at least we can see how their nation is developed, technology, culture, art, all is well. don't just read on unreliable newspaper that has intention to rip of china, go to the country yourself and witness the people and scenery, pretty safe and nice.
Anonymous
Fook democracy and Western double standards!
Jules Verne
Geez, chill. Democracy and communism are just policies/ideologies, like with all policies, it depends on how it's being executed.
It is human nature for 'smart people' to exploit the system and in a flat(ter) hierarchical structure, generally there will be other 'smart people' who keeps them in check.
In countries where there is great divide between the rich and the poor (the biggest percentage of the population is poor, instead of countries where the biggest percentage is the middle class), those who exploit the system don't have anyone keeping them in check, hence the corruption.
Corruption of the system have nothing to do with the policy a country choose. There are advantageous to being a communist to a democratic and vice versa. These aside, I do hope HK people gets to keep their two-government system until the agreement expires.