TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China's embassy in the U.K. on Wednesday (Sept. 9) blamed "anti-China elements" after the Twitter account of its ambassador, Liu Xiaoming (劉曉明) was hacked and made to appear as though he had liked a pornographic video and footage of Uyghur Muslims being persecuted.
On Wednesday, netizens noticed a graphic 10-second pornographic video at the top of Liu's likes on his official Twitter account. Some speculated that the 'wolf warrior diplomat,' a neophyte to Twitter who has used it for less than a year, did not realize his likes are visible to the public.
However, several tweets of a political nature also surfaced, making it highly probable that the likes were the work of hackers. Among the other tweets liked under Liu's account was a post that accused China of paying lip service to non-interference in its internal affairs "so they can murder their own people without condemnation by the world."
The tweet then declared "Free Hong Kong, Free Manchuria, Free Mongolia, Free the Uighurs" before wading to Burmese and Thai politics. Another liked tweet included drone footage allegedly showing Uyghurs being loaded onto a train bound for a "concentration camp."
Tweet liked by Liu's account showing Ughyhers being loaded onto train. (Twitter, Liu Xiaoming screenshot)
The tweets were eventually unliked, and the Chinese embassy that same day responded with a statement in which it wrote that Liu's Twitter account had been "viciously attacked" by "anti-China elements" who used "despicable methods to deceive the public." The embassy described the hack as "abominable behavior" and urged Twitter to carry out "thorough investigations."
At around 10 p.m. that evening, Liu retweeted the embassy's statement and wrote the proverb "A good anvil does not fear the hammer." Many social media users poked fun at Liu's alleged proclivity for women's feet, one of the main elements of the video.
Twitter user HK Gov News Translator posted an imaginary conversation between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (王毅) and Liu. In the exchange, Wang asks "What do the Brits want?" Liu replies "Feet, Minister, feet."
Liu's Twitter likes as they appeared Wednesday morning. (Twiiter, Liu Xiaoming screenshot)
