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Hong Kong actor apologises on Chinese social media for praising British queen
by AFPSeptember 15 2022
A veteran Hong Kong opera star apologised and declared his patriotism on Thursday after his praise for Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II sparked a backlash among nationalists in China.
Thousands of Hong Kong residents have queued up outside the city’s British consulate this week to sign a condolence book for the late monarch who died after 70 years on the throne.
Among the mourners was Law Kar-ying, a heavyweight of the Cantonese opera scene, who published a selfie on Instagram from the queue and a message that read: “Hong Kong was a blessed land during her reign.”
Instagram is banned in mainland China but Law’s post went viral on other social media sites, sparking anger and criticism among nationalists.
On Thursday, Law took to China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo to post a video apologising for “making remarks of mourning without thinking them through”.
“My original intention was to express condolences for a late elderly woman and I would like to appeal to everyone not to overly interpret what I said,” the 75-year-old said in Mandarin Chinese.
“I can’t possibly forget my origin and ancestry. That I have been keeping a Chinese passport says it all, I am Chinese and I love my motherland forever. I am sorry,” he added.
His original Instagram post was deleted.
Nationalism has surged under President Xi Jinping, China’s most assertive and authoritarian leader in a generation.
Celebrities and businesses can find themselves facing huge consumer backlashes for any perceived slight to China or suggestion of disloyalty.
Many of the commenters underneath Law’s Weibo video were not convinced by his apology.
Some told him to “learn from his wife” Liza Wang, a veteran actress who was a Hong Kong delegate to China’s top political advisory body for two decades.
Hong Kong actor apologises on Chinese social media for praising British queen | Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
A veteran Hong Kong opera star apologised and declared his patriotism on Thursday after his praise for Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II sparked a backlash among nationalists in China. Thousands of Hong Kong residents have queued up outside the city’s British consulate this week to sign a...
hongkongfp.com