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Kenny G visit to Hong Kong protest site prompts chorus of anger in China | Kenny G visit to Hong Kong protest site prompts chorus of anger in China |
(35 minutes later) | |
Most governments aren’t too bothered by what jazz saxophonist Kenny G does between concerts, but when he turned up at pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Chinese authorities were furious. | Most governments aren’t too bothered by what jazz saxophonist Kenny G does between concerts, but when he turned up at pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, Chinese authorities were furious. |
On Wednesday he tweeted a picture of himself making a victory sign in front of a poster reading: “Democracy of Hong Kong” and wrote: “In Hong Kong at the sight [sic] of the demonstration. I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation.” | On Wednesday he tweeted a picture of himself making a victory sign in front of a poster reading: “Democracy of Hong Kong” and wrote: “In Hong Kong at the sight [sic] of the demonstration. I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation.” |
Within hours, the foreign ministry in Beijing had issued a frosty condemnation. | Within hours, the foreign ministry in Beijing had issued a frosty condemnation. |
in Hong Kong at the sight of the demonstration. I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation pic.twitter.com/mEp5jIXLjj | |
“Kenny G’s musical works are widely popular in China, but China’s position on the illegal Occupy Central activities in Hong Kong is very clear,” ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing. | “Kenny G’s musical works are widely popular in China, but China’s position on the illegal Occupy Central activities in Hong Kong is very clear,” ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing. |
“We hope that foreign governments and individuals speak and act cautiously and not support the Occupy Central and other illegal activities in any form,” she added. | “We hope that foreign governments and individuals speak and act cautiously and not support the Occupy Central and other illegal activities in any form,” she added. |
Critics may denounce Kenny G – full name Kenneth Gorelick – as a populist purveyor of elevator music, but his bestselling records are wildly popular in China, where he is a bona fide superstar. | Critics may denounce Kenny G – full name Kenneth Gorelick – as a populist purveyor of elevator music, but his bestselling records are wildly popular in China, where he is a bona fide superstar. |
His 1989 hit Going Home even has its own cultural niche as a near-universal marker of closing time everywhere from schools to wedding banquets, shopping centres and train stations. Only around five minutes long, it is sometimes played on a loop for more than an hour. | His 1989 hit Going Home even has its own cultural niche as a near-universal marker of closing time everywhere from schools to wedding banquets, shopping centres and train stations. Only around five minutes long, it is sometimes played on a loop for more than an hour. |
“Nobody knows why the Chinese even like Kenny G so much,” music and entertainment industry consultant Jackie Subeck told the New York Times earlier this year, in an article exploring the inexplicable national devotion to Going Home. | “Nobody knows why the Chinese even like Kenny G so much,” music and entertainment industry consultant Jackie Subeck told the New York Times earlier this year, in an article exploring the inexplicable national devotion to Going Home. |
The musician kicked off a recent world tour with four concerts in China, and tweeted a picture of Jackie Chan onstage at one of them. “This is what happens in China. My music is super popular there,” he said. | The musician kicked off a recent world tour with four concerts in China, and tweeted a picture of Jackie Chan onstage at one of them. “This is what happens in China. My music is super popular there,” he said. |
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