- Title: China says NBA must understand "public opinion" if it wants to stay
- Date: 8th October 2019
- Summary: BEIJING, CHINA (OCTOBER 8, 2019) (REUTERS) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG ARRIVING FOR REGULAR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "Cooperating with China without knowing public opinion in China? How could this be possible? The NBA has been cooperating with China for a really long time. What should they do? What should they do, what should they say? They're most clear in their own mind about this one." JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "Also, I suggest you to pay attention to how ordinary Chinese people react to this, and what their attitude is. If you want to hold exchanges and cooperation with China without knowing what public opinion is, it won't work." JOURNALISTS SITTING (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN GENG SHUANG, SAYING: "It's their own business if they want to express their own opinions. The question that I answering is about when relevant parties that want to hold exchanges and cooperation with China, they should at least understand what public opinion is. Otherwise, how could these relevant exchanges and cooperation go on?" NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING CHINESE FLAG FLYING
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2019 11:25
- Keywords: China NBA commissioner cooperation halt foreign ministry Geng Shuang Houston Rockets Daryl Morey
- Location: BEIJING, CHINA
- City: BEIJING, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001B08IX53
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday (October 8) that if the NBA should understand its domestic "public opinion" if wanted to continue to hold "exchanges" with the country.
Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey apologised on Monday (October 7) for any hurt caused by a tweet voicing support for anti-government protests in Hong Kong, which he quickly deleted over the weekend. Beijing, Chinese fans and the team's partners in a key NBA market have not been assuaged, however, resulting in loss of sponsors and broadcasts in the world's second-largest economy. Chinese state television has said it wouldn't air NBA exhibition games played in the country this week, heaping further pressure on the U.S. basketball league.
The NBA issued a statement saying it regretted Morey's remarks, drawing criticism from U.S. lawmakers. But Commissioner Adam Silver said it was not up to the NBA to regulate what players, employees and team owners said.
"I suggest you to pay attention to how ordinary Chinese people react to this, and what their attitude is. If you want to hold exchanges and cooperation with China without knowing what public opinion is, it won't work," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told media during a Tuesday briefing in Beijing.
A pre-season game between the Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers is set for Thursday (October 10) in Shanghai, with a rematch scheduled for Saturday in Shenzhen. However, organisers abruptly cancelled a Tuesday media event in the city without explanation.
(Production: Martin Pollard, Joseph Campbell) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None