Hong Kong
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The sight of multicolored fireworks exploding in the Himalayas hills sparked a ferocious environmental backlash, prompting local government investigations in China and forcing global outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx to apologise.
The Canadian Chinese-owned brand worked with artist Kai Guochian to host a massive “rising” fireworks display on Friday in the Tibetan Plateau, located about 5,500 meters (18,000 feet) above sea level in Cigatze, the second largest city in China’s Tibet Autonomous region.
The official video, which was subsequently removed, shows a vibrant sight of fireworks being unleashed from the top of the mountain, forming the winding line, the mastermind behind the fireworks display at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
However, criticism soon began to pile up on social media in China. There, users accused the advertising stunt of ignorance about the potential environmental impacts in remote, pristine ecosystems.
On Sunday, local authorities began an investigation. Over the past two days, over 92 million people have coordinated to read related articles on the establishment of a research unit on social media Weibo in China.
“The Shigatse Party Committee and the government took the issue seriously, set up an investigation team and sent it to the site to investigate immediately, and investigated the investigation team,” the city’s local Communist Party committee said in a statement on China’s social media platform WeChat.
He said the results will be processed “in accordance with laws and regulations.”
Founded in Canada and acquired by a consortium led by Chinese sports apparel giant ANTA Sports in 2019, Arc’teryx announced an apology on both Weibo and Instagram on Monday.
“The event was directly opposed to our commitment to outdoor spaces to who we are and who we are for our people and our community.
The brand, popular among the middle class in China, said on Weibo it will invite third-party environmental organizations to conduct transparent assessments and take effective action to compensate for any damages that may have been caused.
Artist Cai also apologized to China’s social media, admitting that “there are several areas that are not properly considered.”
“My studio and I place great importance on this and humbly embrace all the criticism of (our) artistic creation on the snowy plateau with a modest heart and appreciation for your concerns and reminders.”
The artist, known for his gunpowder paintings and outdoor fireworks glasses, was born in Quanzhou, southern China, but has been based in New York since the mid-90s.
He said he would “actively cooperate” on the authorities’ ecological impacts, “actively cooperate” to “take practical action” to protect the plateau, and pledge stricter measures in the future.
Despite the apology, China’s state media doubled criticism of the display. The Global Times is known for its more hawkish attitude, highlighting the obvious contradiction between Weibo and Instagram’s Arc’teryx statement.
On Instagram, the brand said it would address issues with China’s CAI and its team without implying a third party brought to conduct an environmental assessment.
“Some users questioned the integrity of Arc’teryx’s apology. They argued that the mention of “collaboration of practices with the Chinese team” risks being seen as an attempt to change responsibility.”
The media outlet said Arc’teryx’s attitude and its proposed corrective actions will be the focus of attention from overseas consumers.
In Wybo, some Chinese netizens demanded stiffer actions, requiring one user to face justice by illuminating the stunts green.
“Arrest everyone who passes the approval process,” they wrote.
Others focused on irony. “The art of the earth must be about respecting nature and living things,” one user wrote in a post that has received thousands of likes.
