Chinese actress and model Xia Xinyu was censored for expressing gratitude to the British Museum for preserving Chinese cultural relics.
On June 3rd, Xia Xinyu posted a photo on her Weibo account in front of Chinese artifacts at the British Museum in London, UK, with a caption saying, “No Chinese person can walk out of the British Museum smiling, but if these relics had been kept with us back then, they would have been destroyed long ago and wouldn’t have survived until now.” She added, “We should thank the British Museum for properly preserving these Chinese artifacts; otherwise, Chinese people today wouldn't be able to see them.”
She later wrote: “Most Chinese people won’t see their possible disasters from others’ suffering; they only feel fortunate for their own happiness through others’ suffering.”
This statement was criticized as implying that Chinese people are worse than slaves, being derogatory to Chinese.
Currently, the Weibo post has been deleted, and Xia Xinyu's Weibo account has been suspended. Some netizens criticized her remarks as “fawning over foreigners” and “mindless flattery.”
Xia Xinyu's previous posts have also sparked controversy, such as those discussing the “difference between slaves and lackeys,” “the longing for freedom,” and “catering to the oppressors’ needs.” In one post, she stated, “If not for Western culture, I would still bind my feet and have to kneel,” and she believes that Chinese people should thank Western cultural invasion for the ability to enjoy modern civilization.
According to Baidu Baike, Xia Xinyu graduated from the Beijing Film Academy and has appeared in films such as “If You Are the One” and “Go Lala Go!” as well as TV shows like “Young Zhang Sanfeng” and “Dwelling Narrowness.”