TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Sony China’s account on China’s Twitter-like Weibo has reportedly been banned for a year after several posts were deemed “insulting” by China.
Kyodo News reported on Tuesday (Feb. 7) that several people involved in the incident confirmed the China Cyberspace Administration’s decision, which is set to be in force until Jan. 4, 2024. It added the penalty has yet to be announced, and Sony is seeking to shorten the duration.
Sony China’s last Weibo post was made on Jan. 4. Its page now shows the note, “The user is being banned from posting for violating relevant laws and regulations.”
On Jan. 7, the Communist Youth League of China wrote on Weibo, “Severe punishment! Sony China’s account, accused of insulting a martyr, has been banned. On Oct. 12, 2022, Sony China shared a Weibo post containing an image with a composition highly akin to the scene of the sacrifice of martyr Qiu Shaoyun (邱少雲). The day the post was published was the 70th anniversary of Qiu Shaoyun’s sacrifice.” It added that it will “never tolerate the malicious twisting, vilifying, denying of martyrs.”
The martyr in question is hailed as a national hero in China. The Chinese Communist Party claims that while hiding in bushes by an American military base during the Korean War, an incendiary munition landed near Qiu, who remained in position and endured the pain of being engulfed in flames until his death, so that he would not reveal the location of his troops.
Qiu’s image is often presented as a man lying on his belly on the grassy ground, his body enveloped in red and yellow flames.
The image that Sony posted showed a dog looking at the camera in the midst of orange maple leaves. “We believe that this purposeful design must not be a coincidence,” the Communist Youth League wrote.
The league went on to name other offenses, such as in 2019, when Sony announced a product with the slogan, “never concede” on Dec. 13, memorial day for the Nanjing Massacre. In a 2021 “incident,” Sony scheduled a product announcement for July 7 at 10 p.m., which was the date and time when the Marco Polo Bridge Incident occurred in 1937.
Liberty Times reported that Sony’s promotional image for New Year’s wishes had also been deleted for the text, “2023, more brilliant with ‘ni.’”
The word “ni” (尼) references Sony’s name and is pronounced similarly to the Chinese word, “you.” However, it was also seen as a reference to Winnie the Pooh.
China lists more of Sony's "offenses" over the years. (Communist Youth League of China screenshot)
