An African proverb says: “never let a handshake pass the elbow.” When handshake reaches the elbow, it is no more a greeting. The recent activities involving the United States National Basketball Association (NBA) bordering on the social media message of the Houston Rockets general manager on Hong Kong and the subsequent events calls for clarity and reflection on when freedom of speech is taken too far. No country will fold its arms and watch the values that holds it together as an indivisible sovereign state being destroyed by others who may be misinformed or are deliberately committed to causing separation in the country. This is what happened when the Chinese authorities strongly responded to the since-deleted tweet from the Houston rockets’ general manager, Daryl Morey. The deleted tweet reads: “Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hongkong.”
Though the tweet was taken down immediately after torrents of backlash, the deed has been done already and corresponding overwhelming responses have been evoked from China. The general manager had since apologized for the tweet saying it was not intended to cause offense to his team’s fans and friends in China. Massive reactions followed the tweet, the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) suspended cooperation with the Rockets, several Chinese sponsors immediately halted their relationships with the team, media streaming contract worth over $1 billion US dollars was cancelled immediately, the almost half a billion NBA fans in China chose the love for their country over the love for the game at the most crucial time. At the moment, one can only sit and watch the events that unfolds after this furor.
On the other hand, surprisingly, a wave of condemnation followed the apologies from Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets and the NBA commissioner by the United States’ politicians and a section of the United States’ media blaming China for not allowing freedom of speech and the NBA for sacrificing freedom of speech for money. The condemnation put the NBA commissioner especially in a very difficult state not knowing on which side to stand: the US or China. It is therefore important to place the action and corresponding reactions in perspectives considering the fact that not many people are aware of the root cause of the strong reaction of the Chinese (historically and culturally connected) to the seemingly “simple” tweet. Historically, Hong Kong is part and parcel of China which was ceded to the British in an unfair treaty China was forced into signing by the invading British and allies. The island has been operating as a Special Administrative Region, a semiautonomous state with political and economic freedom under the policy of “One country two systems” as agreed in the treaty on the return of Hong Kong to China by the former occupier, United Kingdom in 1997. Beside this, China had endured years of shame under foreign rule through unfair and unequal treaties that gave foreign countries rights to establish administrative autonomy and extraterritorial jurisdiction in Chinese territory. In one Chinese port city, Tianjin, nine countries including Britain, France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, the Austrian-Hungarian Empire and Belgium partitioned the city among themselves and held sway for years before China regained the city from them after her victory over Japan. This unprecedented act of colonizing a country was the first of its kind in history. Prior to this time, the price for the unity of the country was paid through several civil wars fought at different times in its history, all in the efforts to ensure that the whole country is united.
Every country in the world cherishes and maintains unity no matter the level of diversity within its territory and strives to promote peace and upholds the values that sustain the unity of the country. The position of China on Hong Kong is well understood if properly placed in proper perspective. In so much as the western media want the global community believe that Hong Kong is a “region under oppression” and “fighting” for “freedom”, it is obvious that the opposite is the case, because the island has always been a free, indivisible and inseparable part of China and enjoys special autonomy in the handling of its affairs. It is therefore considered as an affront and utmost disrespect to the feelings of Chinese people for a US basketball team, overwhelmingly loved by hundreds of millions of Chinese to be taking actions suggesting support for the separation of Hong Kong from China, which is what the deleted tweet suggested. Also important to note is that supporting the separatist agenda in Hong Kong is not only unacceptable to the Chinese government, but repulsive to the Chinese people who views the idea more from a historical and cultural perspective. The Chinese name for country is “Guo Jia” literally translated “country home” meaning the country precedes the home (individual), it is when one has a country that one has a home. Promoting or supporting a separatist agenda only arouse the repugnance for past colonial invasions and acts of suppressing the cultural values of the country, so it is not only a “freedom of speech” issue as being wrongly peddled by the United States.
While freedom of speech is a universal human right and it is a value all countries in the world subscribed to, it must not be taken to subvert the sovereignty of another country or used to promote division and chaos in another country. The exercise of freedom of speech must not be used to hurt or disrespect the sense of values of others. The United States will not condone any threat to the unity of the country, no matter under what guise, it is equally important that the United States politicians understand that the reaction to the tweet by the Chinese must not be tainted with claims that China is not allowing freedom of speech. Instead of the US to call those involved to order, it chose to grandstand and even chided them for the apologies offered. Little wonder that within a week after, another act of promoting divisiveness in another country was witnessed in the NBA match between the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Chase Center, the Castellers de Vilafranca on a tour of California performed before the commencement of the match displaying their castell human towers and pulled out the flags of the USA and that of the pro-independence version of the Catalan. The action had since generated heated responses from Spanish and Catalan audiences due to its sensitiveness.
The double standards authorities in the United States adopted in this matter has always been known with the country in its relations with other countries. This is not only cancerous to establishing mutual relations but also puts a question mark on the credibility and integrity of the country in promoting global development in the context of peace. Sports have always been very effective means of promoting peace within a country and among nations, a unifying force that bridges cultural divides and bond people together, it must therefore not be allowed to be muddled in the murky waters of politics of double standard. Also, stakeholders in the United States NBA must resolve to steer clear of political influence in order not to bring the noble achievements in the past to disrepute. It would have been better if authorities in the United States take a cue from the man at the center of the whole dispute, Daryl Morey, who later admitted that he wrote the tweet based on “one interpretation” of what is going on in Hong Kong, and he has a different view now after he has had opportunity to “hear and consider other perspectives.” While freedom of speech is noble, it must be exercised with proper understanding of issues in order not to infringe the rights of others.

The quick response from China to the US is a very good message every country especially in Africa must learn. US should stop poke nosing in other country's affairs. What is the problem of American NBA with Hongkong self?

It's all about envy. The US is just envious of a developing country competing with her and in order to slow down the development of China, the best option is to promote disunity, which has got NBA caught in the web. The NBA should not allow itself be dragged in dirty waters of politics at all. Good write up!

China has maintained focused approach to development and this has become a challenge to the US who has spent all the years interfering with issues of other countries instead of minding its own business. The Chinese and every country should not accept this type of meddling from the US. There must be mutual respect among countries, not one country bossing everyone around.

Good write up. It is important that sports should not be mixed with politics.

Good to tell them that respect is reciprocal. Must the NBA dabble into something as,sensitive as this? Good write up.

If only many people can speak out like this, the world would be a better place. Keep telling them the truth till they listen

t4sylvia:
It's all about envy. The US is just envious of a developing country competing with her and in order to slow down the development of China, the best option is to promote disunity, which has got NBA caught in the web. The NBA should not allow itself be dragged in dirty waters of politics at all. Good write up!

Nope, basketball especially the NBA is super popular in China. So the NBA wants to tap dance around the issues in Hong Kong........all about $$$$.

Why couldn't NBA stand up with those being harassed by the ICE in the US instead of the people in HongKong? They're just hypocritical, typical US character. Thanks for sharing.

A good word for the NBA and the US. Hope they will listen. Well done

This write up is very timely. Why must the US be the one dictating to the whole world? Write more till the US hears and change for better.

So glad to read this. It's time mutual respect among countries is properly redefined. The US can't just be pushing everyone around. Thanks for writing!