Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Houston Rockets GM's Tweet Controversy Simmers On in China

Joyce Huang

   Controversy continued Tuesday to swirl in China around Houston Rockets
   general manager Daryl Morey's tweet in support of Hong Kong's
   pro-democracy movement as businesses and entertainers moved to cut ties
   with the National Basketball Association's U.S. franchise. But some
   analysts say the effort in China to rebuke the NBA could hurt the
   nation's fledgling basketball league as well.
   More and more Chinese businesses on Tuesday followed the Chinese
   Basketball Association's (CBA) lead to cut ties with the National
   Basketball Association team while its netizens continued to lash out
   their anger over NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's latest stance of
   backing Morey's rights to speak up his mind.
   A handful of entertainers, including nine members of the boy band
   UNINE, and actress Jinyan Wu, have also decided not to appear at NBA
   events in Shanghai on Wednesday and Thursday, citing their support for
   China's territorial integrity.
   Apparent boycott
   The boycott is in apparent protest of comments by Silver, who said on
   Monday "I think as a value-based organization that I want to make it
   clear'¦that Daryl Morey is supported in terms of his ability to
   exercise his freedom of expression."

.