Saxophonist Kenny G insisted yesterday that he is not a foreign provocateur supporting Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests, after Beijing signaled its displeasure over his inharmonious visit and repeated its concerns about meddling by external forces.
The US-based musician created a stir when he tweeted on Wednesday about his visit to the semiautonomous southern Chinese territory, where thousands of student-led protesters have occupied streets for more than three weeks to press their demands for greater democratic reforms.
“In Hong Kong at the [site] of the demonstration. I wish everyone a peaceful and positive conclusion to this situation,” he wrote.
He took to social media again later to declare that he was not trying to defy Beijing, but rather had just happened to come across the protest zone while walking around Hong Kong as a tourist.
“I am not supporting the demonstrators, as I don’t really know anything about the situation,” he wrote on Twitter and Facebook. “I only wanted to share my wish for Peace for Hong Kong and for all of China.”
Photographs had circulated earlier on social media outlets of the star by himself and with protesters at the main protest zone near downtown Hong Kong.
The musician’s soprano sax tunes are wildly popular in China, especially his song Going Home, which can be heard at train stations, department stores, airports, hotel lobbies and over loudspeakers in public parks, and is often used as a signal for people to clear out. He completed a four-concert tour of the nation in September.
When asked about the appearance, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Hua Chunying (華春瑩) paused and acknowledged Kenny G’s popularity — and then told foreigners not to get involved.
“I think Kenny G’s music is popular in China, though regarding the illegal protest in Hong Kong, the Chinese government has a clear position. We think that is an illegal campaign,” Hua said.
“We support the government of Hong Kong to handle it in accordance with the law to maintain stability in Hong Kong. Thus we hope all foreign countries and individuals could be discreet in words and deeds and not support the illegal protest in any form,” she said.
Beijing has said repeatedly that unspecified foreign forces are influencing the protesters in Hong Kong, without spelling out who exactly is involved.
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