Chinese opera star’s apology for remarks praising Queen Elizabeth sparks debate in Hong Kong
- Law Kar-ying posted a selfie while queuing to pay respects to the late British monarch, setting off a storm of criticism in China for his praise of her reign
- The opera star apologised online, as commentators expressed surprise he would speak out and wondered if Law’s colleagues treasured their MBE honours from UK
Law Kar-ying, a 75-year-old Cantonese opera star, was attacked by Chinese nationalists online after he posted a selfie on Instagram while queuing to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth at the British consulate in Hong Kong.
“Under her patronage, Hong Kong was a blessed land,” he wrote in his post, which has since been deleted. While Instagram is banned in China, recirculation of his post prompted outrage on Weibo, the Chinese Twitter-like platform, which was then followed by Law’s public apology on Thursday.
In a video posted on Weibo, he is seen bowing and apologising for his earlier remarks. He explained his initial intention was to commemorate an elderly woman and asked the public not to “overly interpret” his words, before declaring his Chinese patriotism.
“I can’t possibly forget my ancestry. I am a long-time holder of a Chinese passport, which speaks for itself. I am Chinese and I will always love my motherland. I am sorry,” he said.
Responses to his video were mixed, with some commenters saying that he “did not need to apologise” and that the speech environment was “too sensitive” nowadays. Others criticised Law for implying that Hong Kong’s prosperity was due to the influence of the queen.
In Hong Kong, there was a great deal of debate about the whole incident, with some expressing surprise that Law, husband of Liza Wang Ming-chun, a former delegate to the National People’s Congress, would publicly announce his affection for British colonial rule.