We Really Did Shut Up and Dribble Huh

Last week or a few weeks ago (not sure), we talked about globalization and the Asian markets. It reminded me of when I read about Clinton deciding to pursue trade with China in the late 90's early 2000's. Many people were against opening up trade with China because of their Human Right's Violations, and the Tian An Men Square incident happened relatively recently in 1989.

Clinton made the announcement to pursue trade under the reasoning, it will better both America's economy and improve China's situation. "The question is not whether we approve of or disapprove of China's practices. The question is, what's the smartest thing to improve, these practices?" In other words, he thought trade with China would allow American ideals to be adopted in China for China to be more about freedom, liberty, etc.

China joined the WTO in 2001; US businesses started investing in China and China started investing in the US. The NBA was one of these businesses that first opened their markets to China. Basketball was introduced to China in the 1950s; and even though China's communist party banned most foreign sports, basketball became a national sport. 

The 2002 first draft pick for the Houston Rockets was the now-famous Chinese basketball icon, Yao Ming. China had never produced a star player on the NBA level, and Yao Ming made it possible for Chinese people to be involved in the NBA. 200 million Chinese viewers watched Yao Ming's first game against the Lakers in 2003, compared to 9.9 million domestic viewers that watched the 2003 FINALS. 

Yao became the Chinese endorsement model, for Coke, Gatorade, Apple, etc. The Rockets became China's favorite team, simply because Yao was on it. The NBA began sending their players to China on summer tours for marketing and promotions. 

The league's popularity boosted; 490 million Chinese people streamed the NBA finals last year. <---- The entire US population is 330 million.....

Ok, so I know I've just been spewing information, but basically the NBA saw China as a huge market. However, everything was threatened the summer of 2019 when Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted, "Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong"

In Chinese people saw this as an act to break up and weaken China. The Chinese Consulate for Houston said that this tweet was an "error" and asked Morey to correct it, which he did. The rest of the summer was damage control for the Rockets. 

The Chinese government cancelled all preseason broadcasted games on national TV, and Tencent suspended their streaming service of the Rockets. In Shanghai, workers tore down ads for upcoming games, people protested the NBA outside the stadiums. Fans even tore up their tickets in support of the Chinese government. 

This may seem like a shock, but hear me out. The Hong Kong thing is definitely a Human Rights issue, but to the Chinese people it is a threat to their sovereignty. No state wants to be split up, and the people don't want to either. It would be the similar to saying, "The Confederate South should be free of the Union's sovereignty" which we didn't and won't allow that. It's a perspective thing.

Even though the NBA technically stood by Morey's tweet of expression, they undercut their words with their actions. You may remember the reporter being shut down by the NBA when asking James Harden and Russell Westbrook what they thought of the tweet.

Other companies have faced the wrath of the Chinese government as well, learning not to cross certain boundaries. Usually these are: Taiwan, Tibet, and Tian An Men ----now Hong Kong as well.

Because China has the population and the ability to withhold access to the consumer market, they have forced the US to bend to their will in order to continue selling goods and services. Doing business in China means following their rules. Clinton's vision was to profit of China's market and hopefully share our democratic ideals with China, but the reality of globalizing has made China import their censorship into America.