Two ultra-nationalist Chinese TV stars have decided to cancel their contracts with Nike because they denounce the abuses in Xinjiang in 2020

Two Chinese TV stars have decided to end their big contracts with Nike, after the company made public its concern about the existing forced labor camps in Xinjiang this provided the cotton with which they make some of their clothes. The actors’ decision responds to the ultranationalist foreign policy imposed by the regime led by Xi Jinping to reject any kind of criticism of the human rights violations in this northern region of the Asian giant.

Wang yibo Yes Tan Songyun had a deal with the North American company which they decided to discontinue after the company expressed “concern” about the reports on re-education and sterilization camps for women, among other aberrations. Around a million uyghurs are submitted by local authorities under the orders of Beijing. Those responsible for these abuses stress that these are not concentration camps but vocational training centers..

Although the statement attributed to Nike It was from last year that the actors decided to echo the boycott campaigns against foreign brands that have decided to denounce the human rights violations that have occurred in Xinjiang. Wang Yes sunbathe have indicated that they will end any promotional campaign with the North American firm, in a display of nationalism that descends from the the Chinese Communist Party (PCC) to the rest of the population, especially to people of ancestry.

A representative of sunbathe said the actress “resolutely opposes any bad behavior to denigrate and create rumors about China“. Agent Wang, for his part, made a similar statement. In recent days, the governments of United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European Union sanctions have been imposed on some of those responsible for these abuses. It is striking that the actors took action a year after the statement was released, coinciding with the boycott promoted by Beijing against other brands.

Over the past two years – intensified after the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 – the Chinese regime has promoted much more aggressive diplomacy than in the past. It was called Wolf warrior in honor of a film of great popularity in the country whose promotional caption is: “Whoever insults China must be exterminated“.

The film brings together most of the commonplaces of nationalisms throughout history: the external threat, the affront to patriotic pride, the supremacy over the enemy. It is led by an unconventional and omnipotent hero who must repel the cunning attacks of an American mercenary under superior conditions.

The Ministry of External Relations driven by Wang yi ordered the implementation of this policy in each external agency to counter criticism that could be generated as a result of the initial mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic and systematic human rights violations.

Campaign against business

The Chinese-ruling CCP last lambasted H&M and other clothing and footwear brands in its response to Western sanctions against Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses. in the northwest region of Xinjiang. The party’s Youth League gained attention on social media on Wednesday on a March 2020 version of H&M, in which the company announced that it would stop buying cotton grown in this region. The Swedish company said it was “very concerned” by reports of forced labor in the region.

Thursday, a festive newspaper, the Global TimesHe pointed to Burberry, Adidas, Nike and New Balance as companies that have made “tough statements” on Xinjiang cotton over the past two years..

Beijing often targets foreign fashion, auto, travel and other brands for actions against its government or to pressure companies to respect its official positions on Taiwan, Tibet and other sensitive issues.

Companies often apologize and modify their websites or advertisements to maintain access to the huge Chinese market. But Xinjiang is a particularly thorny issue. Western brands feel the pressure at home to distance themselves from potential rights violations.

More than a million people, mostly from ethnic Muslim groups, have been confined to labor camps, according to foreign governments and researchers. Beijing denies being mistreated and says it wants to promote economic development and end radicalism.

The European Union, the United States, Britain and Canada announced financial sanctions on Monday and the displacement of four senior Chinese officials accused of abuses in Xinjiang. Beijing he responded by announcing unspecified sanctions against European lawmakers and German researchers who published information against the detention camps.

China’s official outrage focused on Europe, possibly because relations with the EU were relatively cordial, compared to the acrimony with Washington over trade disputes and charges against China for espionage and theft of technology. On its social media, the H&M Group said the company “does not represent any political position” and “respects Chinese consumers.”

The company said it was working with 350 Chinese manufacturers to produce items that “adhere to the principles of sustainable development.” and that it is “committed to long-term investment and development in China.”

(With information from AP, Reuters and local media) .-

KEEP READING: