When I first saw that China was bullying the National Basketball Association over a tweet it didn't like, I guessed they would be "Streisanded". Barbra Streisand wanted the press to stop covering a Malibu property of hers, so she complained. Result: even more coverage. And so with China's NBA complaints. They just highlighted just what a horrid bullying thug Beijing is. And it backfired on them. We say "shot in the foot" or "own goal". The Chinese say "pick up a stone only to drop it in your foot".
Also: this piece by Minxin Pei is another example of a Beijing critical article. The SCMP strives for neutrality in these difficult times. Significant when the Post is now owned by mainland billionaire Jack Ma of Alibaba. I wouldn't have been surprised if it had started to hew a line closer to Beijing's. I'm pleasantly surprised they don't. Just in the last few days the Post has run a number of op-ed pieces strongly critical of the government or of Beijing and strongly supporting the protesters. (Which were hammered by the commenters, by the way).
I suspect the reason the Post can keep criticising China is that Beijing views it as a gweilo paper, foreigners' little sandbox, where they can let off steam harmlessly. And they'd be right, though it's also educated Asians who read it, opinion makers. Then again, the NBA thing was mostly a foreigner thing too. Twitter is not even available on the mainland. It could just be a matter of the right hand not knowing what the left is up to, as Pei suggests. A lower level functionary thing and they've been reined in.
The NBA finally got its stance right. It would be good if other western companies showed a bit more spine too.
/Snip:
The Chinese saying "lifting a rock only to drop it on one's feet", or its English equivalent, "to shoot oneself in the foot", perfectly describes the self-defeating inclinations of dictatorship. And nothing exemplifies such inclinations so much as China's effort to bully America's National Basketball Association.
The row began when Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey
(and quickly deleted) support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters. The response was swift. China's government
the Rockets, cancelled broadcasts of two NBA pregame matches, and instructed Chinese companies to suspend sponsorship and licensing agreements with the NBA.
(and quickly deleted) support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters. The response was swift. China's government
the Rockets, cancelled broadcasts of two NBA pregame matches, and instructed Chinese companies to suspend sponsorship and licensing agreements with the NBA.
As the NBA's largest international market, China expected the league to scurry back into line, apologise for offending the Communist Party and pledge never to repeat the mistake. Initially, the NBA did that. "We feel greatly disappointed at [Morey's] inappropriate speech, which is regrettable," the league said. "We take respecting Chinese history and culture as a serious matter."
But this sparked outrage among US lawmakers, who accused the NBA of choosing
"No one should implement a gag rule on Americans speaking out for freedom," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. The NBA threw Morey "under the bus" to protect their market access, Senator Marco Rubio added, calling it "disgusting".
"No one should implement a gag rule on Americans speaking out for freedom," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. The NBA threw Morey "under the bus" to protect their market access, Senator Marco Rubio added, calling it "disgusting".
Sent from my iPad
