The telegraph
Chinese celebrities are forced to choose between Beijing and the West because of Uighur abuses
All it took was a quick social media post in China to spark massive public backlash against H&M and other overseas brands who voiced concerns about forced labor allegations in the Xinjiang area. “Spread rumors to boycott Xinjiang cotton while trying to make money in China? Wishful thinking! ”Read the Communist Party’s Youth League post along with the Swedish retailer’s announcement last year that it would stop sourcing from Xinjiang. Stocks, likes, and comments rolled in before erupting into nationalist fury spurred by Chinese state media Within four hours of the first post, Chinese actor Huang Xuan severed relations with H&M, saying he was “firmly against any attempt to discredit the country and human rights in any way!” Many celebrities followed suit and partnered with Nike, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Puma and others including entertainer Song Qian, pop icon Wang Yibo, Uyghur actress Dilraba Dilmurat, Hong Kong cantopop singer Eason Chan and Taiwanese cellist Ouyang Nana. Chinese celebrities have remained apolitical for a long time so that they are not the Reg ation fall victim. But as the ruling party has encouraged nationalist zeal to stand back against Western pressures, including coordinated sanctions over human rights concerns in Xinjiang, celebrities are being forced to choose either side. If they want to stay in the spotlight and continue their careers as models, actors and influencers, the only viable option is to support Beijing.
