People’s Daily vows to destroy Apple’s ‘unparalleled arrogance’

War of words continues following CCTV attack on iPhone manufacturer

Reading Time:2 minutes

Apple staff welcome customers in an Apple store at WangFujin business district in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:55am, 27 Mar 2013Updated: 2:06pm, 27 Mar 2013

Days after China’s state broadcaster CCTV attacked Apple for allegedly providing Chinese users with an inferior service, Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily officially waded into the row on Wednesday.

In a harshly worded commentary titled “Let’s strike away Apple’s unparalleled arrogance,” , the paper criticised Apple for being “dishonest,” “greedy” - and above all - “arrogant.”

Page 5 of People's Daily on March 27, 2013. The editorial sits at the top of the page.

In particular, Apple has returned the considerable contributions China has made to its revenue, the editorial said, with a “swaggering arrogance” that must have originated from the "traditional superiority enjoyed by westerners".

“[Apple must have thought] why does a developing ancient oriental country deserve the same customer service as their western counterparts?”, the commentary said.

The Daily also blamed the “greediness of capital”, since Apple has “gone crazy” chasing after profit, it claimed.

“If offending Chinese customers reduces cost for Apple at zero risk, why not?,” asked the editorial.

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