A curated list of awesome software and information that can help educate the Chinese people about their government, as well as spread awareness to the rest of the world.
See https://github.com/taibangle/awesome-china for the latest version.
- The Truth About "Dramatic Action"
- 許章潤《愤怒的人民已不再恐惧》
- Video Wuhan citizen explpain the coronavirus situation in Wuhan, and seeks help from Chinese abroad (English subtitles) (GitHub 720p Mirror since YouTube is blocked in China)
- Video Wuhan physician estimating 90.000 affected, begging people to donate disposable goggles, masks and clothing (GitHub 240p Mirror since Twitter is blocked in China)
- Audio Wuhan nurse estimating 100.000 affected, scolding government response (GitHub 240p Mirror since YouTube is blocked in China)
- VPN to bypass Great Firewall of China (GFW) for Free - Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 + WARP
- Bypassing Censorship on Chinese Social Media (e.g. WeChat)
- Video - Chinese man arrested and tortured for critizing the police in Weixin/QQ group chats - please be mindful of the risks associated with fighting for basic human rights (GitHub 240p mirror since YouTube is blocked in China)
- Rape, torture and human experiments. Sayragul Sauytbay offers firsthand testimony from a Xinjiang 'reeducation' camp
- Xinjiang University President Tashpolat Tiyip Sentenced to Death in Secret Trial
- 'Think of your family': China threatens European citizens over Xinjiang protests
- 泄露文件揭示中国如何组织对穆斯林大规模拘禁
- Video - China's Vanishing Muslims: Undercover In The Most Dystopian Place In The World (GitHub 360p mirror since YouTube is blocked in China)
- Chinese dissidents are being executed for their organs, former hospital worker says
- Video: Medical Genocide: Hidden Mass Murder in China's Organ Transplant Industry - (GitHub 360p mirror since YouTube is blocked in China)
- 2019 Hong Kong protests, also known as the Anti–Extradition Law Amendment Bill (Anti-ELAB) movement
- List of police misconduct (all incidents include video evidence)
- Printable artwork suitable for Lennon Walls
- 中國709維權律師大抓捕事件
- 六四事件，又稱六四天安門事件
- 文化大革命
- 道县事件，也称道县惨案、道縣大屠殺、道县文革杀人事件
- 三年自然灾害，后改称为三年困难时期。中國大陸以外则常用大飢荒
- 反右运动
- 镇压反革命运动，简称鎮反
- 长春围困战
- Support the Hong Kong protests by donating and contacting your representatives
- Support the Uyghurs by donating and contacting your representatives
Use the code below in your project README to show your support and link to awesome-china.
<a href="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/taibangle/awesome-china"><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/taibangle/awesome-china/master/badges/awesome-china.png" width="98"></a>
| Name | Date of Incident | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Abercrombie & Fitch | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Abercrombie & Fitch source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Acer | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Acer source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Adidas | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Adidas source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Alstom | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Alstom source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Amazon | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Amazon source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Apple | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Apple source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| ASUS | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that ASUS source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| BAIC Motor | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that BAIC Motor source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| BMW | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that BMW source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Bombardier | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Bombardier source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Bossch | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Bossch source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| BYD | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that BYD source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Calvin Klein | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Calvin Klein source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Candy | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Candy source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Carter’s | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Carter’s source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Cerruti 1881 | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Cerruti 1881 source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Changan Automobile | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Changan Automobile source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Cisco | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Cisco source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| CRRC | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that CRRC source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Dell | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Dell source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Electrolux | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Electrolux source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Fila | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Fila source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Founder Group | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Founder Group source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| GAC Group (automobiles) | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that GAC Group source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Gap | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Gap source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Geely Auto | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Geely Auto source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| General Electric | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that General Electric source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| General Motors | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that General Motors source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Google source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. | |
| H&M | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that H&M source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Haier | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Haier source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Hart Schaffner Marx | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Hart Schaffner Marx source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Hisense | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Hisense source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Hitachi | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that HitachiX source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| HP | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that HP source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| HTC | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that HTC source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Huawei | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Huawei source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| iFlyTek | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that iFlyTek source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Jack & Jones | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Jack & Jones source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Jaguar | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Jaguar source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Japan Display Inc. | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Japan Display Inc. source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| L.L.Bean | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that L.L.Bean source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Lacoste | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Lacoste source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Land Rover | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Land Rover source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Lenovo | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Lenovo source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| LG | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that LG source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Li-Ning | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Li-Ning source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Marks & Spencer | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Marks & Spencer source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Mayor | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Mayor source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Meizu | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Meizu source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Mercedes-Benz | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Mercedes-Benz source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| MG | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that MG source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Microsoft | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Microsoft source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Mitsubishi | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Mitsubishi source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Mitsumi | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Mitsumi source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Nike | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Nike source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Nintendo | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Nintendo source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Nokia | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Nokia source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| The North Face | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that The North Face source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Oculus | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Oculus source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Oppo | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Oppo source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Panasonic | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Panasonic source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Polo Ralph Lauren | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Polo Ralph Lauren source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Puma | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Puma source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Roewe | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Roewe source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| SAIC Motor | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that SAIC Motor source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Samsung | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Samsung source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| SGMW | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that SGMW source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Sharp | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Sharp source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Siemens | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Siemens source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Skechers | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Skechers source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Sony | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Sony source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| TDK | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that TDK source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Tommy Hilfiger | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Tommy Hilfiger source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Toshiba | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Toshiba source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Tsinghua Tongfang | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Tsinghua Tongfang source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Uniqlo | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Uniqlo source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Victoria’s Secret | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Victoria’s Secret source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Vivo | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Vivo source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Volkswagen | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Volkswagen source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Xiaomi | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Xiaomi source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Zara | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Zara source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Zegna | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that Zegna source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| ZTE | 2020-03-01 | Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified that ZTE source some of their products from factories where Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China are subjected to forced labour. |
| Terry Crews | 2019-12-30 | American actor Terry Crews posted Instagram and Twitter posts featuring a photo of himself standing on front of the Chinese national flag along with text saying "POWER TO THE PEOPLES". |
| Tesco | 2019-12-22 | Tesco charity cards are made through forced labour in China. A six-year-old girl in London found a message inside one of the Tesco charity Christmas cards which read "We are foreign prisoners in Shanghai Qingpu prison China. Forced to work against our will. Please help us and notify human rights organisation." |
| Konami | 2019-12-18 | Konami removed Mesut Ozil from all three versions of the game Pro Evolution Soccer following his Instagram and Twitter posts condemning muslim silence over the Xinjiang concentration camps. NetEase, who publishes the game in China, wrote that Ozil's comments "hurt the feelings of Chinese fans and violated the sport's spirit of love and peace. We do not understand, accept or forgive this!". Chinese state TV also pulled the screening of Arsenal's game against Manchester City at the weekend, while most references to Ozil have been removed from the internet in China. |
| Hong Kong Post | 2019-12-15 | Hong Kong Post changed a stamp featuring the game Go, where you could see young children dressed in black surrounding a child dressed in white. In the game Go you have white and black bricks, and you win by surrounding more territory than the opponent. In this case, the children dressed in black were winning, but since the color black has become a symbol of the Hong Kong protestors, then they changed the clothes from black to brown." |
| Arsenal FC | 2019-12-13 | Arsenal superstar Mesut Ozil posted Instagram and Twitter posts condemning muslim silence over the Xinjiang concentration camps, saying "Korans are being burnt... Mosques are being shut down ... Muslim schools are being banned ... Religious scholars are being killed one by one ... Brothers are forcefully being sent to camps". The post resulted in Ozil receiving countless death threats and the Chinese are calling for the player to be fired and the club to be blacklisted. Arsenal FC issued a statement on Weibo saying "The content published is all Ozil's personal opinion. Arsenal, as a football club, has always adhered to the principle of not involving itself in politics." |
| ArtCenter College of Design | 2019-12-11 | ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, removed a Hong Kong student's artwork that featured support for the Hong Kong protestors. The student, who has been receiving death threats as a result of the artwork, had posted a message saying "unfortunately I just spoke with the faculty involved, and they've made the decision to remove my work from the gallery for my own safety and the safety of others. I suggested to just not put my name on it but they're pretty set on not putting it up." |
| GQ / Condé Nast | 2019-12-06 | GQ removed Xi Jinping from their 'worst dressed' list. Xi Jinping's picture featured a capture saying "It is not Hong Kong's courageous freedom fighters that Xi Jinping should have a problem with. It's his tailor. Xi gets totalitarian style cues from his hero, the mass murderer Chairman Mao, who enforced a dour and plain dress code for the Communist Party." Xi Jinping was removed from the list after management got wind off who was on the list. A Condé Nast spokesperson told BuzzFeed: "We are conscious that digitally published stories travel globally and can gain traction where they lack the necessary context and can cause unintended offence". |
| DC Comics / Warner Bros. | 2019-11-28 | DC Comics deleted a Batman poster after Chinese commentators said it appeared to support the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The poster triggered comments such as "The black clothes represent Hong Kong, the mask represents Hong Kong, the Molotov cocktail represents Hong Kong, what else here doesn’t represent Hong Kong???" and "No matter what the reason, to put an image like this up at a sensitive time like this means you have a death wish." |
| YouTube / Google | 2019-11-08 | YouTube age-restricted China Uncensored's "Will China's New 'Solutions' Fix Hong Kong Crisis?" YouTube video, meaning most people won't be able to view the video. In a video appeal, the YouTube Team responded saying "Thank you for submitting your video appeal to YouTube. After further review, we've determined that while your video does not violate our Community Guidelines, it may not be appropriate for a general audience. We have therefore age-restricted your video." YouTube have also demonetized all China Uncensored's Hong Kong videos. You can see the censored video here. |
| Shutterstock | 2019-11-06 | Shutterstock censor certain images for Chinese users. Searching for 'President Xi', 'Dictator', 'Taiwan flag', 'yellow umbrella', etc. will yield no results. Shutterstock's censorship feature appears to have been immediately controversial within the company, prompting more than 180 Shutterstock workers to sign a petition against the search blacklist and accuse the company of trading its values for access to the lucrative Chinese market. A Shutterstock staffer told The Intercept "We have a number of employees who grew up in oppressive regimes — some are unable to speak up for fear of losing visas — and we are letting them all down. Every day we come in to work, we are making the world a worse place. And for what? To be able to sell photos of sliced fruit on white backgrounds in China." |
| University of Warwick | 2019-11-06 | University of Warwick instructed campus security to take down a Lennon Wall featuring Li-Pig after Chinese students complained it was racist. University of Warwick issued a statement saying "The University continues to facilitate peaceful protest and freedom of speech by all students and staff while also being mindful of the concerns of all other members of our community." |
| American Express | 2019-11-02 | American Express delisted Taiwan as a country on its website. |
| Cake International | 2019-11-02 | Cake International 2019 Birmingham disqualified a team who had made a cake depicting the 'anonymous' mask, which was worn by many protestors this halloween. The disqualification came after Chinese candidates claimed the cake contained offensive content by promoting the independence of Hong Kong. Cake International sent the following to the contestant: "We need to inform you that your entries into this years competition has been removed from the competition area. The content and message behind the cake has been viewed as offensive and led to complaints from attendees, therefore the decision has been taken to withdraw it from the competition. Cake International provides an inclusive platform for the international cake decoration and sugar art community to celebrate together and share their passion." Meanwhile Cake International had no issues with a cake depicting Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un as babies. |
| Airport Authority Hong Kong | 2019-10-29 | Airport Authority Hong Kong, responsible for the operations of the Hong Kong International Airport, added a 'Content Filter' to their WiFi. If you try to visit e.g. Hong Kong Free Press, then you will receive the following censorship message: "Access Denied. The Content Filter thinks the website contains content harmful to a young public. The page was blocked! Reason: 'Domain with Fodbidden Contents!'". |
| VW Vietnam Auto / Volkswagen | 2019-10-29 | Volkswagen local distributor and importer VW Vietnam Auto showcased a car at a motor show in Ho Chi Minh City. The car's software incorrectly showed a map of China that included the nine-dash line out into the South China Sea, as well as Taiwan and the Arunachal Pradesh region. China uses the nine-dash line, which dates back to 1947, to claim sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea where Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Taiwan have competing claims. In 2016, a United Nations arbitral tribunal ruled that the line has no legal basis. A decision that China has rejected and ignored. |
| Hong Kong Polytechnic University | 2019-10-27 | President of Hong Kong Polytechnic University Teng Jin-guang refused to shake hands with two doctoral graduates who wore masks on stage during the annual degree-awarding ceremony. Teng Jin-guang said "At a time we are dispirited by the divisions in our society, let us also take heart and reference from what university education provides, including expressing views in a respectful and rational manner, embracing diversity and the perspectives of those from backgrounds different from ours, and observing others' rights and our own responsibilities". The University's union's acting president Ken Woo Kwok-wang responded saying "In his speech, he said we should embrace diversity and different views. But as our university's president, he could not accept different views from the graduates". |
| Emerson College | 2019-10-26 | Frances Hui posted an op-ed she had written, titled "I Am From Hong Kong, Not China", to which students from China responded with death threats, such as "Whomever opposes my greatest China, no matter how far they are, must be executed." Ms. Hui said an administrator had reached out to make sure she felt safe. But when she requested a public statement condemning the threats against her, none came. Ms. Hui responded "I understand that the school doesn't want to take a political stance, but you certainly shouldn't stand for students who make threatening statements and hateful comments." Lee Pelton, president of Emerson College warned that school administrators needed to have "global competency" or risk the kind of firestorm that enveloped the National Basketball Association this month over a pro-Hong Kong tweet from Daryl Morey. |
| Eastman Philharmonia | 2019-10-24 | The Eastman Philharmonia is due to tour eight cities in China over 12 days in December. But not the whole orchestra. Three students from South Korea have been denied visas. Since 2016, China has blocked South Korean artists from performing in China. As a result, Jamal Rossi, Dean of the Eastman School of Music, removed the three South Korean members from its orchestra and decided to continue its China tour without them. |
| Maserati / Fiat Chrysler | 2019-10-23 | Maserati cut ties with the Golden Horse Awards, a festival held in Taiwan that is billed as Asia's equivalent of Hollywood's Academy Awards. Maserati issued a statement saying "Maserati always respects China's territorial integrity, history and culture, and firmly upholds the one-China principle". Last year, Fu Yue, a young Taiwanese filmmaker stirred controversy when she accepted an award for best documentary at the festival, saying "I really hope our country will one day be treated as a genuine independent entity. This is my biggest wish as a Taiwanese." |
| Dior | 2019-10-16 | Dior apologized for excluding Taiwan in a map of China during a presentation to an internship programme campus talk. Dior issued a statement saying they "always abide by the one-China principle and strictly upholds China's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and that they "cherishes the Chinese people's feelings". |
| LeBron James | 2019-10-15 | LeBron James responeded to Daryl Morey's "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong." tweet, by saying "We all talk about this freedom of speech, yes, we all do have freedom of speech. But at times, there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you're not thinking about others and you're only thinking about yourself. I don't want to get into a word or sentence feud with ... with Daryl Morey. But I believe he wasn't educated on the situation at hand and he spoke." He later attempted to defend his statement by saying "My team and this league just went through a difficult week. I think people need to understand what a tweet or statement can do to others. And I believe nobody stopped and considered what would happen. Could have waited a week to send it." LeBron James has previously said that "-Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere- Our Lives Begin To End The Day We Become Silent About Things That Matter- #ThankYouMLK50" and "It's important that we as athletes continue to use the platform we have to speak up for what we believe in". |
| 2019-10-15 | Reddit censored a news post titled "Classes suspended at Hong Kong Design Institute after students vandalize campus demanding surveillance footage of classmate, who is an active protester, found dead and naked in sea". The post had 55.7k karma at the time of being 15 hours old, yet it did not show up in the first 10 pages of /r/worldnews. The post was not locked nor deleted, the author 'u/mikantaro' did not delete his account either. The way the post was suppressed means that the action was performed by Reddit admins (employees), rather than /r/worldnews moderators. This is not the first time the Reddit admins has been accused of censoring pro-Hong Kong/anti-China content by knocking submissions highly voted submissions off the front-page. | |
| Twitch / Amazon | 2019-10-14 | Twitch hosted Flamelord1998 streaming Fortnite. Everything went fine until he began to answer a question from someone in chat saying "What is your favorite viewpoint from Hong Kong's issue?". Flamelord1998 only managed to say "Um… In all honesty, I—" before being removed from Twitch's channel. |
| Riot Games | 2019-10-11 | League of Legends developer Riot Games released a statement on Twitter saying "We serve fans from many different countries and cultures, and we believe this opportunity comes with a responsibility to keep personal views on sensitive issue (political, religious, or otherwise) separate. Therefore, we have reminded our casters and pro players to refrain from discussing any of these topics on air. Our decision also reflects that we have Riot employees and fans in regions where there has been (or there is a risk of) political and/or social unrest, including places like Hong Kong." Riot Games will usually conduct interview with the winning team live and before the commercial break. However, players and teams from Taiwan or Hong Kong will instead have their interview recorded, and the prerecorded interview will then be played after the commercial break. |
| Apple | 2019-10-10 | Apple users who purchased their phone in China, or set China as their region, are sending their IP along with the URL prefix hashes to Tencent whenever you search on Safari. This privacy violation is enabled by default, but can supposedly be disabled by turning off "Fraudulent Website Warning". |
| Apple | 2019-10-10 | Apple once again removed the HKmap.live app from the App Store, after facing criticism from China. This is the second time Apple remove the app, after having just reapproved the app the day before. The app was used by Hong Kong protestors to protect themselves from the police brutality. |
| Blizzard Entertainment | 2019-10-10 | Justin "Jayne" Conroy, an assistant coach for the Overwatch esport team Dallas Fuel, was ordered to delete a tweet that criticized Blizzard's punishment of Blitzchung. The tweet that he was forced to delete read "While I recognize the right that Blizzard_Ent has to enforce their rules and standards on competitors such as @blizchungHS, I condemn the censorship and severity of consequences brought against an individual who was campaigning for a human rights social movement." |
| 2019-10-10 | Google removed a pro-Hong Kong protestor game called The Revolution of our Times from the Play Store. A Google spokesperson said the app was removed due to a Play Store policy that bans "capitalizing on sensitive events such as attempting to make money from serious ongoing conflicts or tragedies through a game". | |
| Apple | 2019-10-09 | Apple removed the Quartz app from the Chinese App Store at the request of China. qz.com has also been blocked in China as a result of Quartz coverage of the Hong Kong protests. |
| Blizzard Entertainment | 2019-10-09 | Blitzchung, a professional Hearthstone player from Hong Kong, did a post-game interview after winning a Grandmasters tournament, during which he (with encouragement from the broadcasters) said: "Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times!". Blizzard responded by banning him from competing for a year, rescinded his prize money, and fired the two broadcasters present at the interview. They also issued a statement on Weibo saying they will always respect and defend the pride of China. |
| Disney / ESPN | 2019-10-09 | ESPN opened a Sportscenter segment by showing a map of China that included the nine-dash line out into the South China Sea, as well as Taiwan and the Arunachal Pradesh region. China uses the nine-dash line, which dates back to 1947, to claim sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea where Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Taiwan have competing claims. In 2016, a United Nations arbitral tribunal ruled that the line has no legal basis. A decision that China has rejected and ignored. |
| ESL | 2019-10-09 | Ralf Reichert, co-CEO and co-founder of ESL, warned employees not to talk about Hong Kong, especially on social media. |
| Philadelphia 76ers | 2019-10-09 | Philadelphia 76ers kicked out two fans during their basketball game against Guangzhou Loong Lions. The fans were kicked out because they yelled "Free Hong Kong". |
| Nike | 2019-10-08 | Nike pulled all Houston Rockets related products from their Chinese webstore as the backlash continues after Daryl Morey's infamous tweet supporting the protests in Hong Kong. |
| Tiffany & Co. | 2019-10-08 | Tiffany & Co. have removed a tweet showing Chinese model Sun Feifei covering one eye after Chinese consumers accused the jeweler of supporting the Hong Kong protesters. Covering an eye has become a symbol in Hong Kong, because the police shot a young woman medic in the eye with a bean bag round. |
| Vans | 2019-10-08 | Vans held a sneaker design competition, where they ended up removing a submission that gave a shout out to Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests. The design featured a red bauhinia, a flower that symbolizes Hong Kong and is on its flag, and a yellow umbrella, a nod to 2014 protests known as the umbrella revolution. A group of people wearing helmets, masks and goggles could be seen on the side of the sneaker design. |
| NBA | 2019-10-07 | Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets, tweeted "fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.". This resulted in him getting denounced by the Chinese consulate in Houston and by the owner of his team. He was forced to delete his tweet, and Chinese Basketball Association announced they were suspending all coorporation with the Rockets. The NBA put out a statement characterizing the tweet as "regrettable" and clarifying that his support for Hong Kong protesters "does not represent the Rockets or the NBA." NBA's eagerness to please China caused backlash in the rest of the world, including tweet from Ted Cruz: "We're better than this; human rights shouldn't be for sale & the NBA shouldn't be assisting Chinese communist censorship.", Beto O'Rouke: "The only thing the NBA should be apologizing for is their blatant prioritization of profits over human rights. What an embarrassment.", and Julián Castro: "The United States must lead with our values and speak out for pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong, and not allow American citizens to be bullied by an authoritarian government." |
| Joe Tsai / Brooklyn Nets | 2019-10-06 | NBA Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai regurgitated Chinese intelligence propaganda in response to Daryl Morey's "fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong" tweet. His Facebook statement read "there are certain topics that are third-rail issues in certain countries, societies and communities. Supporting a separatist movement in a Chinese territory is one of those third-rail issues, not only for the Chinese government, but also for all citizens in China. The one thing that is terribly misunderstood, and often ignored, by the western press and those critical of China is that 1.4 billion Chinese citizens stand united when it comes to the territorial integrity of China and the country's sovereignty over her homeland. This issue is non-negotiable." |
| Apple | 2019-10-06 | Apple removes the HKmap.live from the App Store. HKmap.live is an app and website that shows information about protests and police activity, letting protestors know which areas are safe to assemble in, and where they can expect resistance or violence from the police. |
| Fairchild Radio's AM1430 | 2019-10-04 | Kenneth Yau, a talk-show host on a major Chinese-language Toronto radio station, was let go after a heated interview with Simon Zhong, head of the Toronto Community and Culture Centre, where Yau pressed Zhong to explain how he could be both "100 per cent Canadian" and also respect the Chinese Community Party. Yau said he has also challenged Beijing's stance on the Hong Kong protests - prompting threats from listeners to kill his family and rape his daughter. |
| Sheraton Hotels and Resorts | 2019-10-03 | China told the Sheraton Stockholm Hotel not to host a Taiwan Double Ten National Day reception, leading this year's event to take place at a museum instead, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Taiwan's office succeeded in organizing a Double Ten reception at the Swedish History Museum in Stockholm on October 3, with legislators, business leaders, academics, and Taiwanese students among the more than 200 guests. |
| Apple | 2019-09-29 | Apple released an update, iOS 13.1.1, which removes the Taiwanese flag from its keyboard for users in Hong Kong and Macau. No mention of this change appeared in its release notes. The Taiwanese flag emoji has also been banned in China since 2017. The original censorship of the Taiwanese flag contained a bug in its implementation, causing some iPhones to crash upon receiving a message containing the Taiwanese flag. |
| DreamWorks / Universal Pictures | 2019-09-19 | DreamWorks Animation movie 'Abominable' shows a map of China that includes the nine-dash line out into the South China Sea, as well as Taiwan and the Arunachal Pradesh region. China uses the nine-dash line, which dates back to 1947, to claim sovereignty over the vast majority of the South China Sea where Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and Taiwan have competing claims. In 2016, a United Nations arbitral tribunal ruled that the line has no legal basis. A decision that China has rejected and ignored. |
| TikTok | 2019-09-15 | TikTok instructed moderators to censor videos that mention Tiananmen Square, Tibet and Taiwan independence, Falun Gong, the Hong Kong protests, among other content that damages China's image. |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co | 2019-09-11 | JPMorgan told staff not to refer to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as independent countries. |
| MUJI | 2019-09-10 | MUJI apologized for using the term "French Concession" in a Weibo post that invited followers to go on a walking tour of the neighborhood starting from its outlet. MUJI issued a statement saying "We had no intention of hurting Chinese people's feelings. We fully respect China's culture and history". |
| Gaijin Entertainment | 2019-09-06 | War Thunder, a game predicated on historical accuracy, suddenly and unexpectedly created multiple historical anachronisms by removing all the Taiwan flags from the vehicles in the game and erroneously replacing them with the banner of China. Gaijin Entertainment have yet to make a statement on the matter. |
| Zara | 2019-09-02 | Zara apologized for listing Taiwan as an independent country, stating they "fully endorses China's territorial integrity." |
| Calvin Klein | 2019-08-14 | Calvin Klein apologized to China for listing Taiwan and Hong Kong as independent countries on their website. The apology came after EXO member Lay Zhang pointed it out in a Weibo post that read "Zhang deeply loves his country and supports the 'One China' policy" and "he is against any acts or words that split his country. All brands that collaborate with him should be careful about the issue." Calvin Klein issued a statement saying they "respect and support China's sovereignty and territorial integrity". |
| Asics | 2019-08-12 | Asics apologized for listing Hong Kong and Taiwan as independent countries on their website. Asics issued a statement saying "We sincerely apologize for what the [Chinese] press pointed out about Asics' official website, and solemnly state that Asics China and all our employees have consistently supported the territorial integrity of our motherland, the 'One China' principle, as well the fact that both Hong Kong and Taiwan are an inalienable part of China". |
| Paramount Pictures | 2019-07-22 | Paramount Pictures replaced Japan and Taiwan flags on the famous Tom Cruise jacket in its Top Gun sequel, which is set to be released in 2020. The patches on the jacket appear to have been swapped with two random symbols in similar colours. Journalist Mark MacKinnon spotted the swap, tweeting "There's a new Top Gun movie coming out. And Maverick is wearing the same leather jacket - only this time it's Communist Party of China-approved, so the Japanese and Taiwanese flag patches are gone (screenshot on right is from the new trailer)..." |
| Red Candle Games | 2019-07-15 | Red Candle Games apologized and removed their game Devotion from Steam just seven days after its launch. After players discovered an image that referenced Chinese President Xi Jinping and Winnie the Pooh in the game, the Chinese players review-bombed Devotion. Chinese authorities revoked the business license of Indievent, the China-based company that had published Devotion in the country. |
| Apple | 2019-06-04 | Apple censored several Chinese-language podcasts from its Chinese Podcasts store. These include NickTalk and Two I.T. Uncles (两个iT大叔), among many others. Apple confirmed to Two I.T. Uncles that their podcast is available in "all territories except China". |
| Rockhampton Regional Council | 2019-05-09 | Students from various schools in Rockhampton, in central Queensland, were asked to paint six bull statues as part of a joint initiative by Rockhampton Regional Council and Beef Australia. One of those bulls was painted with barramundi-shaped flags by students at North Rockhampton High School. The flags included Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, among others, but the two Taiwanese flags were painted over. The council admitted to covering up the Taiwanese flags, and issued a statement saying "Advance Rockhampton made a decision to change one bull statue on display in Quay Street in line with the Australian Government's approach of adhering to the one-China policy". |
| Leica | 2019-04-19 | Leica apologized for their five-minute video called "The Hunt" which included a scene in which a photographer runs from Chinese-speaking policemen, before capturing the iconic "Tank Man" photograph. Leica issued a statement saying the video "was not commissioned, financed or approved by any company in the Leica Group" and "We expressly regret any confusion and will take further legal steps to prevent unauthorized use of our brand." F/Nazca agency responded by saying it had "immense pride" over the commercial, which had been developed together with its client, Leica in Brazil." and that the agency "would never harm its huge reputation by creating, producing and airing a work without the proper approval of it's client". |
| Apple | 2019-04-10 | Apple Music removed a famous song by Jacky Cheung titled 'The Path of Man'. The song was censored because its lyrics mention the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Anthony Wong from Hong Kong also had his songs censored. Anthony Wong is a supporter of democratic ideas and criticizes the government for some of their policies restricting free speech. |
| Global Blue | 2019-08-18 | Global Blue, a Switzerland-based tourism shopping tax refund company, delisted Hong Kong as a country from its website. The company also fired an employee for saying that Taiwan is an independent country. |
| Givenchy | 2019-08-14 | Givenchy apologized for listing Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau as independent countries on their T-shirt. Givenchy issued a statement saying it "must correct and take immediate precautions against any human negligence and mistakes", and that "The Givenchy brand has always respected China's sovereignty and firmly adhered to the One China principle". |
| Cathay Pacific | 2019-08-13 | Cathay Pacific fired two pilots for expressing support towards the Hong Kong protestors. |
| Swarovski | 2019-08-13 | Swarovski apologized for hurting the feelings of Chinese people after calling Hong Kong a separate country on its website, stating "We are extremely sorry for the Chinese people whose feelings have been hurt". |
| Versace | 2019-08-13 | Versace apologized for listing Hong Kong and Macau as independent countries on their T-shirt. Donatella Versace issued a statement saying "I am deeply sorry for the unfortunate recent error that was made by our company and that is currently being discussed on various social media channels. Never have I wanted to disrespect China's national sovereignty, and this is why I wanted to personally apologize for such inaccuracy and for any distress that it might have caused." |
| Cathay Pacific | 2019-08-12 | Cathay Pacific chief executive Rupert Hogg issued a statement saying "Cathay Pacific Group has a zero tolerance approach to illegal activities. Specifically, in the current context, there will be disciplinary consequences for employees who support or participate in illegal protests". The protests of course refer to the peaceful protests that has been taking place for several months in Hong Kong. |
| Coach | 2019-08-11 | Coach apologized for listing Taiwan and Hong Kong as independent countries on their T-shirt. Coach issued a statement saying "Coach respects and supports China's sovereignty and territorial integrity." and "Coach is dedicated to long-term development in China, and we respect the feelings of the Chinese people." |
| Cotton On | 2019-07-15 | Cotton On source cotton from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang that are being forced to work in a number of textile factories in the region. The forced labour were uncovered by the ABC TV Program 'Four Corners'. Following the report, Cotton On said it no longer sourced from Xinjiang-based subcontractor Litai Textiles, and that it is "absolutely committed to having an ethical supply chain." |
| H&M | 2019-07-15 | H&M source cotton from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang that are being forced to work in a number of textile factories in the region. The forced labour were uncovered by the ABC TV Program 'Four Corners'. H&M informed 'Four Corners' that their investigations into the company Huafu, one of their suppliers, "showed no evidence of forced labour." |
| IKEA | 2019-07-15 | IKEA source cotton from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang that are being forced to work in a number of textile factories in the region. The forced labour were uncovered by the ABC TV Program 'Four Corners'. |
| Target | 2019-07-15 | Target Australia source cotton from Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang that are being forced to work in a number of textile factories in the region. The forced labour were uncovered by the ABC TV Program 'Four Corners'. Target Australia said it has "made the decision to stop orders" from a mill owned by the company Huafu in Xinjiang. The statement went on to say "Following the recent reports regarding the Huafu Mill in Xinjiang we identified that one Target direct supplier is using a small amount of cotton yarn from a mill owned by Huafu in Xinjiang province. Target asked the supplier to stop orders from this mill while the situation is clarified." |
| Nike | 2019-06-26 | Nike cancelled its Undercover sneaker release in China after Undercover designer Jun Takahashi posted a photo in support of the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. Nike issued a statement saying "Based on feedback from Chinese consumers, we have withdrawn from China a small number of products that were designed by a collaborator". |
| Grinding Gear Games | 2019-06-04 | On the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games decided to ban people that mentioned the massacre, or made fun of China in other ways in the in-game chat and on their forums. Their ban filter was so aggressive that people even reported that they got banned for saying 'trash'. One day later, GGG updated their Code of Conduct to disallow discussion of politics and religion in their game and on the forum. |
| McDonald's | 2019-01-21 | McDonald's apologized to China for an ad that displayed a Taiwanese student's exam admission ticket, revealing her Taiwan nationality. McDonald's issued a statement saying "We regret about the ad which had stirred up such an unnecessary misunderstanding. We always hold a solid 'One China' stance and we are determined to continue to support China's sovereignty and territorial integrity." |
| ESL | 2018-11-06 | Taiwan esport team 'SadStory' got disqualified from IEM Katowice Qualifiers, an international Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournemant, because they didn't register under 'China' region. |
| IELTS | 2018-10-05 | IELTS delisted Taiwan as a country on its website. |
| ETS | 2018-08-18 | Educational Testing Service delisted Taiwan as a country on their TOEFL website. |
| United Airlines | 2018-07-25 | United Airlines delisted Taiwan as a country on their website. A United Airlines spokesman said "United Airlines has begun to roll out changes to its systems to address China's requirements". |
| American Airlines | 2018-07-24 | American Airlines delisted Taiwan as a country on their website. American Airlines spokeswoman Shannon Gilson said "Like other carriers, American is implementing changes to address China's request". |
| Air France | 2018-05-25 | Air France delisted Taiwan and Hong Kong as countries on their website. The airline said "Air France is complying with the CAAC/Chinese authorities requirements regarding Taiwan and Hong Kong. The company has changed its destination lists accordingly, meaning that (as from now on) Taiwan and Hong Kong will be referred to as 'Taiwan, China' and 'Hong Kong, China". |
| MUJI | 2018-05-24 | MUJI apologized for listing Taiwan as a country. The retail company imported clothes hangers in packaging marking Taiwan as the country of origin'. |
| Lufthansa | 2018-05-22 | Lufthansa delisted Taiwan as a country on their website. Lufthansa told Business Insider "As a company operating globally, Lufthansa considers general laws, regulations, local customs and practices in markets we serve when designing online interfaces to customers. This includes taking customs of the international clientele into consideration. In view of this, Lufthansa has decided to use the applied terms." |
| Air Canada | 2018-05-15 | Air Canada delisted Taiwan as a country on their website. A spokeswoman said "Air Canada's policy is to comply with all requirements in all worldwide jurisdictions to which we fly". |
| Gap | 2018-05-15 | A Weibo user complained that a Gap store in Canada sold a T-shirt with a map of China that left out Taiwan and islands claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea. Gap issued a statement saying "Gap Inc. respects China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We've learned that a Gap brand T-shirt sold in some overseas markets failed to reflect the correct map of China in the design". |
| Malaysia Airlines | 2018-05-15 | Malaysia Airlines delisted Taiwan as a country from their website. |
| British Airways | 2018-03-14 | British Airways delisted Taiwan and Hong Kong as countries on their website. British Airways issued a statement saying they have "always respected and supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of China. |
| Apple | 2018-02-28 | Apple handed control of iCloud services to a Chinese company, Guizhou on the Cloud Big Data Industrial Development Co., Ltd., (GCBD). This means that the Chinese government can access all data stored with iCloud, including photos, videos, documents, and backups. This hopefully only apply to Chinese citizens, and those who set China as their country in their Apple ID. Whether you are a Chinese citizen or not, then you are strongly recommended to create an Apple ID where your country is not set to China. |
| Mercedes-Benz | 2018-02-06 | Mercedes-Benz apologized to China for an Instagram post showing one of its luxury cars along with a quote from exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama. The quote being "Look at the situations from all angles, and you will become more open." Mercedes-Benz removed the post, and issued a statement "We will promptly take steps to deepen our understanding of Chinese culture and values, our international staff included, to help standardize our actions to ensure this sort of issue doesn't happen again". |
| Ray-Ban | 2018-02-01 | Ray-Ban delisted Taiwan and Hong Kong as countries on their website. |
| Marriott | 2018-01-14 | Marriott fired Jones, a 49-year-old based in Omaha, Nebraska, because he liked a tweet that praised Mariott for calling Tibet a country instead of a part of China. Marriott later issued a statement from the same Twitter account, stating: "Marriott International respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. We don't support separatist groups that subvert the sovereignty and territorial integrity of China. We sincerely apologize for any actions that may have suggested otherwise." |
| Delta | 2018-01-12 | Delta Air Lines apologized for listing Taiwan and Tibet as independent countries, stating "It was an inadvertent error with no business or political intention, and we apologize deeply for the mistake. As one of our most important markets, we are fully committed to China and to our Chinese customers." |
| Medtronic | 2018-01-12 | Medtronic apologized for listing Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Tibet as independent countries on their website. Medtronic issued a statement saying "We sincerely apologize for causing misunderstanding among the public" and that Medtronic "completely understands the stance of the Chinese government on relevant sovereignty issues." |
| Marriott | 2018-01-09 | Marriott International's Chinese website and mobile apps were shut down for listing Tibet, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as independent countries. Craig S. Smith, president and managing director of Marriott's Asia-Pacific office, responded by saying "This is a huge mistake, probably one of the biggest in my career". |
| Qantas Airways | 2018-01-09 | Qantas Airways delisted Taiwan and Hong Kong as countries on their website. Qantas said in a statement "Due to an oversight, some Chinese territories were incorrectly listed as countries on parts of our website. We are correcting this error". |
| Sainsbury | 2017-12-22 | A christmas card purchased from Sainsbury in Braintree contained a note written in Chinese that read "Wishing you luck and happiness. Third Product Shop, Guangzhou Prison, Number 6 District". |
| Audi | 2017-03-16 | Audi AG apologized for using a map that excluded Taiwan, South Tibet and Aksai Chin in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, stating "The map offended Chinese people. It was a serious mistake for which Audi wants to sincerely apologize". |
| Disney / Marvel | 2016-11-04 | In the movie adaption of Doctor Strange, the Tibetian monk was censored and turned into a white woman. The film's screenwriter, C. Robert Cargill, discussed the character saying "He originates from Tibet, if you acknowledge that Tibet is a place and that he's Tibetan, you risk alienating one billion people who think that that's bullshit and risk the Chinese government going, 'Hey, you know one of the biggest film-watching countries in the world? We're not going to show your movie because you decided to get political.'" |
| L'Oréal / Lancôme | 2016-06-06 | Lancome cancelled a promotional concert in Hong Kong after an online backlash in China because Denise Ho, a well-known pro-democracy activist, was set to perform. Denise Ho expressed regret, saying "Lancome is an international brand. Of course, even an international brand has to fall to its knees in the face of this kind of bullying. We have to seriously face up to this problem". |
| JYP Entertainment | 2016-01-15 | JYP Entertainment forced Chou Tzu-yu, a Taiwanese singer in the K-pop group Twice, to apologize for waving the Taiwan's national flag on a South Korean television show. Park Jin-young, founder and CEO of JYP entertainment issued a statement saying "Over the past few days, Tzuyu felt a lot and has been reflecting. She left her hometown when she was 13, came to Korea, and it's my company and my fault for not teaching her well on behalf of her parents. We will be stopping all of Tzuyu's China activities for now and we will make proper follow-up arrangements with the partners that are affected from this incident." The company also issued a second statement saying "We fully encourage a healthy relationship between Korea & China, and we respect the One China principle, and we will never allow anyone from the company to hurt this relationship." |
| Primark | 2014-06-25 | A shopper found a 'cry for help' note hidden inside a pair of trousers in Primark's Belfast store. The note, written in Chinese, read "SOS! SOS! SOS! We are prisoners at Xiangnan jail in Hubei, China. For a long time, we have been producing clothing for export. We work for 15 hours each day. What we eat is even worse than food for pigs and dogs. The work we do is similar to (the hard work) that oxen and horses do. We urge the international community to denounce China for this inhumane act". |
| Disney / Marvel | 2013-04-12 | In Iron Man 3, Marvel changed Iron Man's nemesis, The Mandarin, from a Chinese-born villain to a man who is certainly not Chinese at all, played by British actor Ben Kingsley. Instead of standing up to Chinese censorship, desperate to secure the release of 'Iron Man 3' in China, Disney played ball with the authorities allowing the country's censors to vet scripts, visit sets in the U.S. and even give suggestions on other creative decisions. |