has long forced foreign enterprises to apologize for speech it deems counter to its interests, but the latest firestorms show that, amid the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, it’s becoming harder for companies to claim neutrality or to know what line to toe.started Sunday when the Houston Rockets general manager tweeted — and quickly deleted — a message of support for the protests, which China’s ruling Communist Party sees as a threat to its rule.
There was speculation that the first of two exhibition games due to take place in China this week would be canceled, especially as huge banners and posters promoting the event were pulled down across the city. The Chinese side canceled four NBA events in the lead-up to game day, including a Special Olympics basketball clinic.
The Nets played a promotional video in which players had to guess Bruce Lee’s famous catchphrase, “Be water.” It also happens to be one of the Hong Kong protesters’ top slogans, used to describe their leaderless and highly fluid organizing strategy. Mainland hoop fans didn’t catch the reference, applauding the video.
On Wednesday, eight members of Congress issued a bipartisan letter slamming the league for failing to put “fundamental democratic rights ahead of profit” and to anticipate “the challenges of doing business in a country run by a repressive single-party government.”