籃網老闆蔡崇信就莫雷事件發聲：中國球迷受嚴重傷害

（觀察者網訊）

蔡崇信已經出離憤怒。不單單是莫雷事情涉及到無數中國球迷，不單單是他身為NBA30支球隊老闆之一，而是“作為一個在中國度過了我職業生涯大部分時光的炎黃子孫，我必須發聲音”。

莫雷發表支持香港示威言論的事件持續發酵，籃網老闆蔡崇信10月7日在其推特上發表公開信，“數以億記的中國球迷感到這件事情充滿政治色彩，他們的感情受到了嚴重的傷害。”

蔡崇信社交媒體截圖

公開信中，蔡崇信闡釋了為何中國球迷對莫雷如此憤怒的原因，“支持中國領土上發生的分離主義就是一個雷區。這不僅僅是對中國政府如此，而且對所有中國人民也是如此。”

蔡崇信向美國球迷普及了香港的基本歷史，“學過歷史的人會明白，中國人對任何試圖分裂中國領土的企圖，不管來自國內還是國外，都有沉重的心理陰影，當出現分離主義運動的話題時，因為外國侵佔的歷史，所以中國人感到屈辱和憤怒。”

“作為一支NBA球隊的老闆，我會繼續在涉及中國的重要問題上發表看法，我也請我們的中國球迷繼續相信NBA和籃球，相信我們會團結全世界人民的力量。”

今年9月，蔡崇信全資收購了布魯克林籃網隊，這也是他首度以籃網老闆的身份對外公開發聲。

以下為蔡崇信公開信全文（中英文）：

對所有NBA球迷的公開信：

我在9月份收購布魯克林籃網隊的時候，沒有預料到我向我們的球迷發出的第一條公開聲明，會是評論這件剛剛發生的事情，為什麼數以億計的中國球迷感到這件事情充滿政治色彩，他們的感情受到了嚴重傷害。

大家現在想必都已經知道，中國的球迷對休斯頓火箭隊總經理莫雷在推特上發表的支持香港示威的言論反應非常負面。火箭隊在這之前是中國最受歡迎的球隊，但現在可以説被驅逐出了中國市場。球迷不再喜歡這支球隊，轉播商拒絕播放火箭隊的比賽，中國的贊助商也大量取消他們的贊助合作。中國的球迷要求有一個解釋——如果火箭隊拿不出解釋，那麼他們自然就會要求其他與NBA有關的人士來發表看法。

NBA是一個球迷第一的聯盟。當數以億計的球迷對某個問題憤怒的時候，聯盟及與NBA有關的人都必須高度關注。作為NBA30支球隊其中一支的老闆，也作為一個在中國度過了我職業生涯大部分時光的炎黃子孫，我必須發聲。

人們自由發表觀點的問題是什麼？這種自由是美國文化中天然的一部分，NBA也有很開放的價值觀，允許球員和其他人士有平台就各種各樣的話題發表看法。但是問題是，有的話題在有的國家、社會和羣體中是雷區。

支持中國領土上發生的分離主義運動就是一個雷區。這不僅是對中國政府如此，而且對所有中國人民也是如此。西方媒體和對中國持批判態度的人經常嚴重誤解及忽略的一件事情，就是14億中國人在涉及中國領土完整和國家主權的問題上，緊密地團結在一起。這個問題是沒有餘地討價還價的。

有必要了解一下歷史。在19世紀中葉，英國強迫與中國進行非法的鴉片貿易，中國和英法之間爆發了兩次鴉片戰爭。虛弱不堪的清政府戰敗，被迫割讓香港成為英國殖民地。

由於清政府軟弱，沒有力量反抗，列強對中國領土的侵略不斷繼續，後來導致了19世紀末20世紀初的義和團運動。對此，日本、俄羅斯、英國、法國、美國、德國、意大利和奧匈帝國組成的八國聯軍打着人道主義干預的幌子，侵佔中國領土。八國聯軍開進中國首都北京，擊敗了義和團並在北京大肆掠奪。

在抗日戰爭期間，日本侵華並於1937年佔領了北京、上海和當時的首都南京。日軍在南京製造了駭人聽聞的南京大屠殺，幾十萬平民死亡。在抗戰中，幾千萬中國人獻出了生命，美國後來也是在珍珠港事件之後對日開戰。

我回顧這些歷史，是因為學過歷史的人就會明白，中國人對任何試圖分裂中國領土的企圖，不管來自國內還是國外，都有沉重的心理陰影。當出現分離主義運動的話題時，因為外國侵佔的歷史，所以中國人民感到強烈的屈辱和憤怒。

希望現在大家能夠理解，為什麼莫雷的推特對與我們中國球迷的關係產生了如此巨大的破壞。我不認識莫雷。我想他應該是一個還不錯的NBA球隊總經理，對他後來發表的道歉，説自己對問題的瞭解不夠，我也願意接受他字面表達的意思。但是此次事件造成的傷害需要很長時間才能彌補。

我希望聯盟可以從此次事件中走出來。作為一支NBA球隊的老闆，我會繼續在涉及中國的重要問題上發表看法，我也請我們的中國球迷繼續相信NBA和籃球，相信我們團結全世界人民的力量。此致

敬禮！

蔡崇信

Open letter to all NBA fans:

When I bought controlling interest in the Brooklyn Nets in September, I didn’t expect my first public communication with our fans would be to comment on something as politically charged and grossly misunderstood as the way hundreds of millions of Chinese NBA fans feel about what just happened.

By now you have heard that Chinese fans have reacted extremely negatively to a tweet put out by Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey in support of protests in Hong Kong.

The Rockets, who by far had been the favorite team in China, are now effectively shut out of the Chinese market as fans abandon their love for the team, broadcasters refuse to air their games and Chinese corporates pull sponsorships in droves.

Fans in China are calling for an explanation – if they are not getting it from the Houston Rockets, then it is natural that they ask others associated with the NBA to express a view.

The NBA is a fan-first league. When hundreds of millions of fans are furious over an issue, the league, and anyone associated with the NBA, will have to pay attention. As a Governor of one of the 30 NBA teams, and a Chinese having spent a good part of my professional life in China, I need to speak up.

What is the problem with people freely expressing their opinion? This freedom is an inherent American value and the NBA has been very progressive in allowing players and other constituents a platform to speak out on issues.

The problem is, there are certain topics that are third-rail issues in certain countries, societies and communities.

Supporting a separatist movement in a Chinese territory is one of those third-rail issues, not only for the Chinese government, but also for all citizens in China.

The one thing that is terribly misunderstood, and often ignored, by the western press and those critical of China is that 1.4 billion Chinese citizens stand united when it comes to the territorial integrity of China and the country’s sovereignty over her homeland. This issue is non-negotiable.

A bit of historical perspective is important. In the mid-19thcentury, China fought two Opium Wars with the British, aided by the French, who forced through illegal trade of opium to China. A very weak Qing Dynasty government lost the wars and the result was the ceding of Hong Kong to the British as a colony.

The invasion of Chinese territories by foreign forces continued against a weak and defenseless Qing government, which precipitated in the Boxer Rebellion by Chinese peasants at the turn of the 20th century. In response, the Eight Nations Alliance – comprised of Japan, Russia, Britain, France, United States, Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary – dispatched their forces to occupy Chinese territories in the name of humanitarian intervention. The foreign forces marched into the Chinese capital Peking (now called Beijing), defeated the peasant rebels and proceeded to loot and pillage the capital city.

In 1937, Japan invaded China by capturing Beijing, Shanghai and the then-Chinese capital Nanjing. Imperial Japanese troops committed mass murder and rape against the residents of Nanjing, resulting in several hundred thousand civilian deaths. The war of resistance by the Chinese against Japan ended after tens of millions of Chinese casualties, and only after America joined the war against Japan post-Pearl Harbor.

I am going into all of this because a student of history will understand that the Chinese psyche has heavy baggage when it comes to any threat, foreign or domestic, to carve up Chinese territories.

When the topic of any separatist movement comes up, Chinese people feel a strong sense of shame and anger because of this history of foreign occupation.

By now I hope you can begin to understand why the Daryl Morey tweet is so damaging to the relationship with our fans in China. I don’t know Daryl personally. I am sure he’s a fine NBA general manager, and I will take at face value his subsequent apology that he was not as well informed as he should have been. But the hurt that this incident has caused will take a long time to repair.

I hope to help the League to move on from this incident. I will continue to be an outspoken NBA Governor on issues that are important to China. I ask that our Chinese fans keep the faith in what the NBA and basketball can do to unite people from all over the world.

Sincerely,

Joe Tsai

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