Tencent Video delays Game of Thrones final in China



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Tencent, the heavyweight of the Chinese internet whose video platform holds the HBO series broadcast rights in the country, shocked viewers Monday morning by announcing a postponement of publication of the long-awaited finale of the "American show" because of a media transmission problem ".

The brief statement did not give a new broadcast date and the company declined to provide further details. HBO, which belongs to WarnerMedia as CNN, said in a statement that she "had no problem with content delivery".

"You will need additional clarification from Tencent," added HBO.

As fans of "Thrones" elsewhere, Chinese fans religiously follow each episode and discuss real-time twists on social media intrigue. On Monday, their frustration and dismay abounded online, and many were wondering aloud what was the link between the escalation of the trade war and the last missing episode.

"What's the next step: cutting Internet connections between China and the United States?" wrote a user on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter.

Many users have also slammed Tencent (TCEHY) for the delay, ask the company to refund their subscription fees.

"Shame, shame, shame", some users have posted on Weibo a famous song from the show – with Bell emojis -.

A coffee and water song:
The one-year trade war between China and the United States has intensified in recent weeks. President Donald Trump has increased tariffs on Chinese goods worth $ 200 billion earlier this month. China responded with higher tariffs on US products worth about $ 60 billion.

The sudden surge of tension has resulted in an apparent rise in anti-American propaganda in Chinese state media.

A hard-hitting editorial in the ruling Communist Party's speech last week called for a "people's war" against the United States, prompting analysts to predict the aftermath of the trade war in other areas, including entertainment.

On Sunday, a new Chinese television drama series shot largely in the United States with US cast members became the first large-scale victim of the new lines of battle drawn by the Beijing authorities.

State media reported that TV channels and broadcast platforms in China were abruptly canceling the premiere of "Above the Sea, I Come to You", which is centered on a Chinese father who sent his only child studying in America. Other Chinese productions with links to the United States would face similar problems.

Rural America feels hit by Trump's trade war in China

The CCTV public television channel has recently canceled scheduled programming for the so-called "red classics" set up during the Korean War, staging the resounding defeat of American invaders at the hands of heroic Chinese soldiers.

"We use the artistic form of the film to echo the current time," wrote the channel on its official Weibo page.

The Chinese government has targeted the entertainment industry in the past when relations with another country have deteriorated. Just over two years ago, China imposed an unofficial ban on highly popular South Korean performances and artists when Beijing was exasperated by Seoul's decision to deploy an advanced US missile defense system. which, according to the Chinese government, posed a threat to its national security.

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