We Must Not Capitulate to China by Michael L. Brown for Ask Dr Brown
What are the real intentions of China’s President Xi? How nefarious are his plans? And how should the west respond? When I asked these questions to a colleague who has lived and worked in China for almost all of his adult life, someone fully absorbed in the culture and well-educated in Chinese thought, he replied bluntly, “China wants to dominate the world.”
He explained further, “China wants to dominate the world’s economy and to have the ability to cripple the economy of the rest of the world.” And, my colleague commented, it is very possible that China could succeed.
All the more reason, then, that we refuse to capitulate to China, not ideologically and not economically.
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Unfortunately, it appears that for some time now, we have been doing the exact opposite.
Earlier this month, Business Insider reported, “Apple has taken down a Quran app and a Bible app in China at the request of Chinese officials, the company confirmed to the BBC.”
And why, pray tell, did Apple do this? “Apple directed the BBC to its Human Rights policy, which says: ‘We’re required to comply with local laws, and at times there are complex issues about which we may disagree with governments and other stakeholders on the right path forward.’
“Apple told the BBC that Chinese officials had said the apps breached laws on hosting illegal religious texts.”
Put another way, we dare not rock the boat and get China upset. We make far too much money in China and depend way too much on China for us to take a stand for human rights and religious liberties. Instead, in the name of Human Rights, we will sell out countless millions of Chinese Christians and Muslims. (For updates regarding Apple and censorship, see here.)
It was back in May that wrestling and acting superstar John Cena issued an apology to China in Chinese for his grievous sin of referring to Taiwan as a country. How treasonous!
But with a new Cena flick about to be released to the massive viewing audience in China, how could he not apologize? Too much money was at stake.
After all, in 2019, when Daryl Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets basketball team tweeted out his support of the Hong Kong protesters, the backlash was immediate and severe.
Chinese businesses severed their ties. “The Chinese Basketball Association said . . . it would suspend all cooperation with the Texas-based team.” And, in an official statement, “China’s consulate general in Houston also urged the team to ‘clarify and immediately correct the mistakes.’” The NBA’s very relationship with China was endangered.
But fear not. Morey quickly issued an apology, saying, “I did not intend my tweet to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China. I was merely voicing one thought, based on one interpretation, of one complicated event. I have had a lot of opportunity since that tweet to hear and consider other perspectives.
“I have always appreciated the significant support our Chinese fans and sponsors have provided and I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention. My tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA.”
One year later, whether related to this incident or not, Morey resigned from his position in Houston, moving on to work with another NBA team. How interesting.
