U.S. Business in China Face Scrutiny Amid Hong Kong Protests by Phillip Howard
Protests in Hong Kong, sparked by a controversial extradition bill, going into their fourth month. Amidst the protests, some American companies have been walking a fine line in doing business in China after recent reports of their actions have come about.
Three companies, in particular, faced backlash from the Chinese government.
Apple has faced immense pressure after one of its apps allowed protesters to track police via GPS. Apple has since taken that app down. Apple CEO Tim Cook said “that the app was being used maliciously to target individual officers for violence and to victimize individuals and property where no police are present.”
Tim Cook (Photo by Apple)
Video game publisher Activision Blizzard suspended a professional e-sports player and streamer from one of its games for making statements during a livestream in support of the protests, including “if Hong Kong loses, it would be the matter of a lifetime.” Activision Blizzard later released a statement rolling back earlier punishment of the player, stating they “want to ensure that [they] maintain a safe and inclusive environment” and that “[their] rules and processes are clear.”
Most notably, the NBA faced scrutiny following recent tweets by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, supportive of the protests. In response, Chinese tech company Tencent, which broadcasts NBA games for China, announced that it would be blacklisting any games featuring the Rockets playing.
Morey has since apologized for the tweets, calling his actions “regrettable”. Meanwhile, NBA commissioner Adam Silver took a different position, stating that he supports Morey’s original tweets and adding that he is committed to free speech.
Daryl Morey (Photo by Getty)
China’s recent actions have also drawn criticism from politicians in the United States. For instance, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is seeking a probe into social media platform TikTok over Chinese censorship concerns. While the House has passed bipartisan legislation that requires the United States to make a determination in changing Hong Kong’s treatment as a trading entity, as well as blocks the export of police equipment to Hong Kong authorities, the measure has yet to be taken up in the Senate.
This week the House of Representatives passed The Human Rights and Democracy Act mandating annual review of whether Hong Kong had sufficient autonomy from China to justify special trade status with the United States, and halting tear gas exports to China.
The longer the protests in Hong Kong continue, the more scrutiny U.S. businesses will likely face, particularly as political pressure mounts.
Phillip Howard is a graduate student at Utica College
