John Cena apologises for calling Taiwan a country
John Cena apologises for calling Taiwan a country!
US wrestling superstar turned actor John Cena had called Taiwan a country during an interview to promote his latest Hollywood film “Fast & Furious 9”.
F9 star while speaking to Taiwanese television TVBS earlier this month said that Taiwan would be the first “country” to see the latest Fast and Furious.
China regards Taiwan as its province, an assertion that most of the self-ruled, democratic island rejects.
“I made a mistake,” Cena said in Mandarin, “I’m so, so sorry for my mistake. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m very sorry. You have to understand I love and respect China and Chinese people. I’m sorry.”
A 68-second clip was posted to Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, a Twitter-like microblog that is popular in China.
Per popular request, here's Mr. John Cena's apology video with English subtitles. I kept all the incoherence in the video, as well as the curious absence of what he's actually apologizing for pic.twitter.com/WmJlRcyOID
— Tony Lin 林東尼 (@tony_zy) May 25, 2021
By doing so, 44-year-old Cena has joined a long list of international celebrities who have incurred the wrath of an increasingly nationalistic Chinese public over their comments about Taiwan, Hong Kong or Xinjiang.
Meanwhile, the apology by the US star has drawn a lot of criticism in his country.
Yeah, John, you were correct. On your bowing to the Chinese Communist Party… I don’t see you!
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) May 25, 2021
We must stand with Taiwan and for freedom.https://t.co/e5mqrmz47p
This is stomach turning.https://t.co/XJAU7R6J3f
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) May 25, 2021
How shameful, Cena.
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) May 25, 2021
Taiwan is a country – and a democracy. You just apologized to a dictatorship. https://t.co/rBx50uQgF6
Cena should be asked on his little movie promotion junket if he accepts or rejects the US State Department’s conclusion that China is engaged in genocide against ethnic and religious minorities of color in Xinjiang. So should LeBron, for that matter. https://t.co/7lLhlkOZnR
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) May 25, 2021
John Cena is being called ‘pathetic’ for apologizing to China over the Taiwan remark.
Pathetic. https://t.co/CLxCOatdDE
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) May 25, 2021
Pathetic @JohnCena. Just pathetic. https://t.co/D29EOAaqaE
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) May 25, 2021
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian in response said that criticism of Cena in the United States did not make sense.
