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‘Stop interfering in China’s internal affairs’: patriotic products quoting US-Alaska summit take off online on Taobao

  • A slew of products bearing the words of China’s foreign policy chief have flooded China’s online stores including lighters, T-shirts, hoodies, and bags
  • Many approve of aggressive and defiant tone struck at fiery meeting and compare to China’s humiliation by the West more than a century ago

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‘China is not what it was before,’ wrote one person at news portal 163.com. ‘We have the confidence to talk to the US aggressively.’ Image: SCMP
The fiery exchanges between US and Chinese top officials at last week’s Alaska summit have inspired a slew of patriotic T-shirts and other merchandise in China.

Clothing carrying quotes from China’s foreign policy chief Yang Jiechi including: “The United States is not qualified to be condescending in its tone when speaking to China. We Chinese people don’t buy it”, and “stop interfering in China’s internal politics”, have become popular online.

Many shoppers online said by contrast they found the US’ comments displayed a “rude and unreasonable attitude”.

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Others said they felt especially proud after comparing China’s current behavior with more than a century ago when humiliating international treaties were forced on the nation by the West and Japan, a period that still angers many in China today.

Yang Jiechi (C), China’s foreign policy chief, and Wang Yi (2nd L), China’s Foreign Minister, speak with US counterparts at the US-China talks in Alaska. Photo: AFP
Yang Jiechi (C), China’s foreign policy chief, and Wang Yi (2nd L), China’s Foreign Minister, speak with US counterparts at the US-China talks in Alaska. Photo: AFP

“China is not what it was before,” wrote one person at news portal 163.com. “We have the confidence to talk to the US aggressively.”

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In the past few days products including T-shirts, hoodies, vacuum mugs, umbrellas, canvas bags, cigarette lighters, mobile phone cases, pants, and beers carrying Yang’s comments have been sold at the mainland’s online shopping website Taobao.

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