BTS Supporters Counterattack after Chinese Netizens Sniped BTS,
Zhao Lijian Tried to Calm them Down along with the Deletion of the Provocative Report by Global Times

South Korean K-pop boy band BangTan Sonyeondan (BTS) has gained an award for their efforts to promote South Korea-US relations. However, their award-winning speech, relevant to the Korean War, caused dissatisfaction among Chinese netizens and being sniped, such as claiming not to buy the endorsed products. BTS supporters, on the other hand, fought back on social networking sites. A netizen said, “thanks to the 50 Cent Army and the Little Pink, Korea has become anti-communist now!" Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian then showed kindness, saying that "promoting friendship should be our (China and Korea) common pursuit". The Global Times also deleted its reports criticizing BTS. The Director of the Military Affairs Department of South Korea, Moo Jung-woo, responded yesterday (13 October) that the accusations made by Chinese netizens were "uncomfortable." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea also stated that it would remain concerned about the situation.

Earlier, BTS gained the “James A. Van Fleet Award”. A member mentioned in their speeches that "we will always remember the painful history of our two countries and the countless sacrifices made by men and women". As a result, the Chinese netizens criticized BTS for not respecting the Chinese martyrs and not understanding the history of the anti-American war effort.

Global Times published a report on Monday (12 October), stating that "we cannot tolerate anything that involves our national dignity”. Chinese netizens urged not to purchase any BTS-endorsed product. Subsequently, a South Korean company Samsung removed the BTS-endorsed products from its Chinese online stores, and a manufacturer Hyundai and a sports brand FILA also removed BTS-relevant posts from their Chinese social media pages.

Source: Stand News #Oct14

https://bit.ly/3jdAGDf

#BTS #SouthKorea #Kpop #ChineseForeignMinistry #ZhaoLiJian #ChineseNetizens #GlobalTimes #China #JamesAVanFleetAward #Samsung #Hyundai #FILA

Canada Confirmed Detained Citizens Not Been Trial in China, Despite Confusing Message from China's Spokesperson

Canada said it has confirmed with China that the former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who had been detained by China for 2 years, have not brought to trial, contrary to statements made by spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry.

During a media briefing on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said the two men had been "arrested, indicted and tried" by Chinese authority. This was the first time China has publicly claimed to have taken the two to court.

Hua did not provide more information during the briefing. The Canadian Department of Global Affairs issued a statement on Thursday, saying that the Canadian Embassy in Beijing had spoken with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and confirmed that both have not been put on trial. The statement said Chinese officials “confirmed that the confusion was caused by an inaccurate characterisation of the process made by the Chinese MFA spokesperson”

Source: Apply Daily #Dec11

#Canada #China #ChineseForeignMinistry #HuaChunYing #Misinformation #MichaelKovrig #MichaelSpavor

https://hk.appledaily.com/international/20201211/EKPEKEA7UZF2JEP3WOGDA3EYGI

Zhao Lijian posts 'Australian Soldier Killing Child' image. Australian PM: fake image insults soldiers, demands an apology.

Australia-China Relations have deteriorated again after the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted a picture of an Australian soldier killing an Afghan child on Twitter. The post immediately caused discontent in Australia, with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling the fake image offensive and objectionable, and demanding an apology from China.

The image shows a man in military uniform standing on a puzzle of the Australian and Afghan flags with a sabre held to the boy's neck and the words "Don't be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace."

The picture looks quite real, but according to the Australian media, it is actually a satirical painting by the pro-China creator "Wu He Qi Lin". Zhao wrote “Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. call for holding them accountable.” on a Twitter post with the picture.

Source: Stand News #Nov30

https://bit.ly/2KChPGd

#China #Australia #SinoAustralianRelations #AfghanWar #ChineseForeignMinistry #ChineseForeignMinistrySpokesman #ZhaoLijian #AustralianPM #ScottMorrison #AustralianSoldier #AustralianFlag #AfghanFlag #WuHeQiLin

Australian PM's response of 'Australian Army Killing Children' Picture Controversy Censored by Wechat for 'Misleading and Contrary to Objective Facts'

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian caused a diplomatic storm after posted a cartoon satirising killing the Afghan civilians by Australian soldiers on Twitter. On Tuesday (1 December), Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison posted a comment on WeChat in response to Zhao, but was deleted by WeChat, due to "inflammatory, misleading and contrary to objective facts". The incident has also caught international attention, such as New Zealand, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, issuing statements supporting Australia.

Zhao Lijian recently shared a cartoon on the social networking site Twitter, sketching Australian soldiers killing an Afghan child. Morrison criticised China on Monday (30 November) that the fake image is offensive and revolting, and demanded an apology with image removal from China.

Morrison later issued another WeChat commentary, saying that the military crime report allegations were being dealt with in an "honest and transparent" manner, stressing that Australia was dealing with military crimes in the way that "any free, democratic and enlightened country" would. Morrison also said that the diplomatic row between Australia and China would not diminish Australia's respect and appreciation for the Chinese people. Australian media said 57,000 people had clicked to view the comment.

Source: Stand News #Dec03

https://bit.ly/2KSq0P0

#China #Australia #SinoAustrlianRelations #ChineseForeignMinistry #ChineseForeignMinistrySpokesman #ZhaoLijian #AustralianPrimeMinister #ScottMorrison #SatireCartoon #AustralianSoldier #WeChat #Censorship

China announced sanctions against Pompeo and 28 others, denouncing serious violations of China's sovereignty and banning entry to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China issued a press released during the U.S. president inauguration, announcing sanctions against 28 persons, including Mike Pompeo, the Former United States Secretary of State, criticizing them for "seriously violated China's sovereignty" and "offended the Chinese people". The 28 individuals and their families will be prohibited from entering mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Just half an hour after U.S. president Joe Biden was sworn in and the inauguration ceremony was still in progress, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China issued a press release announcing decision to impose sanction. "Over the past few years, some anti-China politicians in the United States, out of their selfish political interests and prejudice and hatred against China and showing no regard for the interests of the Chinese and American people, have planned, promoted and executed a series of crazy moves which have gravely interfered in China's internal affairs, undermined China's interests, offended the Chinese people, and seriously disrupted China-U.S. relations.", the Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced.

Source: The Stand News #Jan21

https://bit.ly/2N2ctp2

#Sanction #HumanRights #MikePompeo #China #US #InternalAffairs #ChineseForeignMinistry

Twitter Bans Trump but Condones China's Propaganda, Netizens Say

Twitter announced on Friday (January 8) that it has permanently blocked Donald Trump's personal account (@realDonaldTrump) with the concerns of the risks of further incitement to violence. The practice has aroused heated debate among netizens, many of whom say that banning speech is a common tactic used by the Chinese Communist Party, criticizing Silicon Valley for turning into the Chinese Communist Party. Twitter has not seen any major action even when Chinese official media and Foreign Ministry spokesperson use the platform to make propaganda or even send out fake news.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying posted a short video about COVID-19 on her Twitter account (@SpokespersonCHN) on Friday (January 8), saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words. Fighting #COVID19, a memory that will not be forgotten.” The video was viewed more than 7,000 times in just two hours, with more than 300 people giving Like and more than 50 comments. Most of the comments praised China for its greatness, happiness for its people and rejuvenation for its nation. Some even thanked China for "leading the world" in the fight against the virus. But Twitter does not put on the fact-check tag in the feed.

Another Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, became notorious last May when his Twitter account (@zlj517) cited a report from the official media Global Times that the U.S. military brought the COVID-19 into China. Twitter added a fact-check tag to it without deleting the post or the Global Times report. In last December, Zhao further antagonized China-Australia relation by uploading a fake picture of an Australian soldier. But his Twitter account is still up and running.

Source: Apple Daily #Jan09

https://hk.appledaily.com/international/20210109/Q573KZC75VGWHK5HM46WDQW5VU/

#Twitter #TwitterCensorship #PoliticalCensorshipinUS #USPresident #DonaldTrump #ChinesePropaganda #CCPPropaganda #ChineseForeignMinistry #HuaChunying #ZhaoLijian #COVID19 #GlobalTimes

Reuters: China puts pressure multinational firms to break ties with Lithuania or be driven out of China market

The relationship between China and Lithuania is still poor. Chinese customs recently removed Lithuania from its list of "countries of origin", making it impossible for Lithuanian goods to enter China, and Lithuania's foreign minister asked the European Union to intervene with China.

The Reuters news agency on Thursday (9 December) quoted Lithuania's deputy foreign minister and representatives of local industry that China had asked a number of multinational companies to cut ties with Lithuania or else drive them out of the Chinese market.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded on Thursday that he did not understand the situation reported by Reuters, but stressed that China has always acted in accordance with WTO rules, criticizing "Lithuania's betrayal of trust and justice, blatantly violating the political promises made to China when the two countries established diplomatic relations, creating ‘one China, one Taiwan’ in the world and seriously undermining China's sovereignty and territorial integrity", and that China is determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Reuters quoted Lithuanian Deputy Foreign Minister Mantas Adomėnas as saying that China is putting pressure on multinational companies, saying that if they use Lithuanian-made components and goods, they can no longer sell in the Chinese market or get supplies in China, and some companies have already cancelled contracts with Lithuanian suppliers.

Source: StandNews #Dec10

#Reuters #Lithuania #ChinaLithuaniaRelation #EU #ChineseCustoms #Lithuaniangoods #ChineseForeignMinistry #WangWenbin #LithuanianForeignMinistry #MantasAdomėnas

Solomon Islands and China to sign security agreement, Australia, New Zealand worry about stability in region

At a glance:

- Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has said publicly that a security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed, and has texted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the development. Sogavare also said that Morrison’s criticism of the country's agreement with China is 'very insulting'.

- Australia's High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Lachie Strahan, said on a social media site that Australia was concerned about a security cooperation agreement to be signed between the Solomon Islands and China

- The agreement is seen as potentially leading to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, asked rhetorically, “Who is building the militarised cabal that will bring the risk of nuclear proliferation to the Pacific?”

-Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare said the country's security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed.
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have expressed concern about a possible security cooperation agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, which could lead to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Pacific Islands Region.

Source: SBS Australia #Mar29

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/as-concerns-grow-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-here-s-how-it-could-impact-the-pacific-region

#AsiaPacific #PacificIslandsRegion #Oceania #China #SolomonIslands #Australia #ChineseForeignMinistry #WangWenbin #ManassehSogavare #ScottMorrison #Chinesemilitarybase #securitycooperationagreement