Chinese state television shut down a live broadcast of the 2024 Summer Olympics Sunday after the Taiwanese team beat China in the men’s doubles.
Taiwan took home the gold medal during the men’s doubles, who play under Chinese Taipei, on Sunday with Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin beating Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA). China still took home silver in the event but state media CCTV cut the broadcast to omit the parts of the match where Taiwan were clearly winning.
The medal ceremony and audience celebrations were also axed from the airwaves, according to the report. In total, only 40 minutes of the 76-minute match were shown to Chinese state viewers.
People across Taiwan celebrated their men’s doubles badminton gold medal victory over Chinese opponents that sparked scenes of jubilation while also exposing deeper geopolitical divides between the two sides #Paris2024 #Olympics. More here: https://t.co/8CmL8yFFTI pic.twitter.com/UQimf1fTJr
— Reuters Sports (@ReutersSports) August 5, 2024
Aug 4: 🇹🇼 Lee Yang (李洋) / Wang Chi-lin (王齊麟) became the first pair in badminton history to win the men’s doubles twice after an intense 21-17, 18-21, 21-19 victory over 🇨🇳 Liang Weikeng / Wang Chang at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The match began at 22:10 but 🇨🇳 state… pic.twitter.com/GMq0p4qT8O
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) August 5, 2024
Tensions have apparently been high during the Olympic games in Paris, with organizers allegedly targeting Taiwanese supporters who display symbols of the island’s independent statehood rather than being part of the Chinese Communist Party regime, RFA continued. (RELATED: Taiwan Issues War Survival Handbook Amid Fears Of Chinese Invasion)
Apparently only the Chinese Taipei team emblem is considered acceptable by Beijing. “I have had the national flag taken away from me on my way inside before,” one Taiwanese supporter told the outlet. “It was taken away and put in a little dark room.”
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 04: Chi-Lin Wang and Yang Lee of Team Chinese Taipei celebrate victory during the Badminton Men’s Doubles Gold Medal match against Chang Wang and Wei Keng Liang of Team People’s Republic of China on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Porte de La Chapelle Arena on August 04, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 04: Gold medallists Yang Lee and Chi-Lin Wang of Team Chinese Taipei bite their medals on the podium during the Badminton Men’s Doubles medal ceremony after the Badminton Men’s Doubles matches on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Porte de La Chapelle Arena on August 04, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 04: (EDITORS NOTE: Image was captured using a robotic camera positioned above the field of play.) Yang Lee and Chi-Lin Wang of Team Chinese Taipei celebrate victory during the Badminton Men’s Doubles Gold Medal match against Chang Wang and Wei Keng Liang of Team People’s Republic of China on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Porte de La Chapelle Arena on August 04, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Taiwan’s gold medallists (C) Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin, China’s silver medallists (L) Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang, and Malaysia’s bronze medallists (R) Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik stand up for the anthem of Chinese Taipei on the podium at the men’s doubles badminton medal ceremony during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 4, 2024. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP) (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
Hong Kong media only reported that Liang and Wang won the gold medal and did not state who won gold. “China claims to be a major power, but in fact it’s very narrow-minded and intolerant,” political commentator Chen Pokong said of the situation. “That’s why CCTV stops broadcasting when it loses, and broadcasts only when China wins.”
Chinese athletes were also apparently told they could only speak to state media. With more than 2,000 members of CCTV apparently working around the Olympics, the pressure is reportedly immense. (RELATED: Don’t Worry About Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit. China Invaded Us Years Ago, Didn’t You Notice?)
The situation comes after years of Chinese President Xi Jinping saying he will “reunify” China with Taiwan, despite the call for Taiwanese independence. U.S. leaders have vowed a significant response should China invade Taiwan, rising tensions between both superpowers, who are both highly dependent on each other for survival.
