Empire State Building's China Tribute Draws Protests

Last night, the Empire State Building was lit up in red and yellow in honor of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. However, some didn't feel very warmly about the event—protesters (numbering around 20) were outside the afternoon lighting ceremony, saying it was "outright, blatant approval for a communist totalitarian system."

Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Students for a Free Tibet, said, "It's a great public relations coup for the Chinese state. But on the other hand, it's sure to backfire because the American public and the global public will speak against it." And Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn) said that China was an "oppressive regime" with a "shameful history on human rights" and shouldn't be honored while Rep. Peter King (R-Long Island) called it a "sad day."

City Room spoke to Peng Keyu, China's counsel general who flipped the switch, who was happy, "This is really a great gesture...a symbol of unity between our countries and our peoples." Peng added that China had been opening up its policies and would continue to do so. As for the Empire State Building, its reps told City Room, that it "doesn’t discuss the intricacies of the lighting approval process."

The ESB lighting will be red-yellow-red tonight as well, and then it becomes blue-blue-white for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts' 125th Anniversary.

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By Jen Chung in News on October 1, 2009 8:15 AM

Comments [rss]

wow 14th street

Wow!

China owns us anyway,

I think they bought up Visa card and our

tresury in Washington and 100 billion dollar

investment in Iran gas and the African Sudan and .........

nivek

How about no lights? Saves money.

NannyState

I just wish they'd change their holiday from National Day to "Mao Day" so we could all show up at work dressed appropriately.

Ed

pfft ... I've traveled through China and Asia these past few years and if anybody looks oppressed, it's when I get back to NYC with overzealous TSA agents and machine guns all over Times Sq, Wall St, and Herald Square. It's funny how the media nor pro-Tibetan activists never mention that preceding the military crackdown in Tibet in 2008, the Tibetan protestors were killing Han Chinese and Hui Muslims by beatings and burning them alive in their own businesses.

xoxomeowmixoxo

Be glad that you were not forced to relocate, forced to give up your land and forced to learn Chinese culture. Were you there watching Tibetan killing Chinese Han? NO, you were not there. You only get the information from the Chinese goverment who's so good at showing people what they want you to see. I can't believe this is something coming from an American if you are one.

hotstepper

sounds dubious at best. a link to news articles with the alleged events possibly? preferably international media rather than state-run news. thnx.

goldmon3

The US has some nerve criticizing China for human rights violations...ask Native Americans who were slaughtered for the US to become what it is today. Regardless, the history of China is not pretty either, but at least it is their own country, and they have evolved from some really brutal, feudal lordship rule that regarded women as property. Even though their Communist rule and the dictatorships they have had are not to American taste, it is still better than what they have had in the past and WORKS FOR THEM--they have a population that is up in the billions and they need some kind of social control. They don't have the problems we face with gangs and drugs and crime--maybe we should be looking at how they make it work instead posturing with ignorant rhetoric. I like the Empire State Building and think the Chinese should be honored for how far they have come, regardless of what they have chosen for a government--their history and resiliance is remarkable and honorable. (Plus, we owe them money.)

hotstepper

"their history and resiliance is remarkable and honorable"

remarkable indeed: http://www.freetibet.org/

Kim Bong Ill

Fuck Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and their back-asswards feudal ways.

Long live the CPC!

jules1000

so funny that there's still U.S. embargo on Cuba.

Boogie Down

Yup.

Ngulotta

In addition to the protests in front of the Empire State Building, there were projections on and around the building: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sfthq/sets/72157622492312926/ These photos should be included in this article.

Tom

Gee we missed such a great opputunity to light up the Empire State Building with Germany's colors during WW2 when our boys were dying daily all over Europe!

What is wrong with America that we can let something like this go by us in a free nation that exsist because of a Democracy that was earned in blood and sacrifice.

For the first time I am ashamed for America.

Spirit of 76

Excuse me, but I must have missed the declaration of war against China and all the army divisions sent over there. For some reason, I had the apparently mistaken impression they were one of our biggest trading partners, if not the biggest.

Boogie Down

That would be second biggest. Can you guess who's first?

HymietownHero

Really, this is the first time? You have not been paying attention.

And why hasn't it occurred to you that "we can let something like this go by" in a "free nation" precisely because we are a free nation, where people are at liberty to light up their buildings with whatever colors they want for whatever reason they want? The moment you or anyone else steps in to stop another's political expression, you are the one trampling on liberty.

Jesus!

HymietownHero

But I see it lit red and yellow every Fall. I figured it was a seasonal thing, or at least sponsored by McDonalds. Maybe they just told the PRC it was for them, and took their magic money for the giggles.