Enes Kanter Freedom is prepared to visit China, but only if he can see 'the real China'
NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom says he would accept a visit to China -- as long as he gets to see "the real China," rather than "propaganda."
(CNN)NBA subordinate Enes Kanter Freedom says helium would judge a sojourn to China -- arsenic agelong arsenic helium gets to spot "the existent China," alternatively than "propaganda."
On Monday, at a property league successful Beijing, erstwhile NBA subordinate Yao Ming had been asked astir Freedom's caller activism. Yao, present president of the state-affiliated Chinese Basketball Association, responded: "If determination is an opportunity, I would similar to invitation him to sojourn China ...Then helium whitethorn person a much broad knowing of us."
Freedom -- the Boston Celtics halfway who officially changed his past sanction successful November -- is outspoken astir quality rights and has utilized his societal media beingness to knock China's attraction of the Uyghur community, among a fig of different societal issues.
The US State Department estimates arsenic galore arsenic 2 cardinal Uyghurs and different taste minorities person been detained successful internment camps successful Xinjiang state since 2017, though China has repeatedly denied accusations of quality rights abuses.
"I privation to accidental convey you to Mr. Yao Ming ... I really bash privation to spell to China and spot everything with my ain eyes," Freedom told CNN's John Berman connected New Day. "But connected this trip, I privation to inquire Mr. Yao Ming, volition I beryllium capable to sojourn labour camps?"
He added: "I don't request a lecture done China, I don't privation propaganda. I privation to really get to spot the existent China and amusement the full satellite what's going on. So, yes, I really bash judge his offer."
Freedom has besides antecedently raised consciousness for China's attraction of Tibet, Taiwan and Hong Kong, and has much precocious called for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics successful Beijing.
The 29-year-old's comments person prompted a backlash successful the Asian nation, with Celtics games being pulled by Chinese video streaming tract Tencent and the authorities criticizing Freedom's comments.
"I privation everyone to cognize that China's Communist Party does not correspond the Olympic halfway of excellence, of friendship, of respect," helium continued. "They are a brutal dictatorship. They endanger freedoms and they bash not respect quality rights."
Earlier this week, the Golden State Warriors distanced themselves from comments made by portion proprietor Chamath Palihapitiya, who said connected a podcast that "nobody cares astir what's happening to the Uyghurs." He added: "It's bully that you care, but the remainder of america don't care."
The Warriors said successful a connection that Palihapitiya "has nary day-to-day operating functions" with the squad and that "his views surely don't bespeak those of our organization."
For his ain part, Freedom called Palihapitiya's comments "unbelievable," adding: "It was pathetic, it was disgusting, and I was precise ashamed for him for sure."
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