CCP Attempts Bars Hong Kong Dance Competition, Attracts International Disapproval

In its latest attempt to suppress artistic freedom and freedom of belief, the Chinese Communist Party has forced the cancellation of New Tang Dynasty’s International Chinese Classical Dance Competition preliminary rounds. The first round of competition was to take place Aug. 1 in Hong Kong. NTD, the organizers, is the premier international Chinese-language broadcaster and is known for its vocal support of Falun Gong and reporting on its persecution.

In response to the dance competition’s cancellation, organizers moved it to Taiwan, and performers put together a video urging people to support their cause for artistic freedom. They created a Facebook page called The Stage of Freedom to draw attention to the issue of CCP’s heavy handed interference in Hong Kong’s civic life.

The incident has attracted U.S. lawmakers’ attention as well.

Rep. Michael McCaul wrote that the Hong Kong government’s actions “fit into a pattern of other instances where the Chinese Communist Party has pressured the Hong Kong Government to limit the freedom of speech and expression of its citizens, breaking the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ promise they made when Hong Kong transferred back to its authority.”