eight times NBA All-Star and former NBA champion Dwight Howard is facing criticism on Chinese social media after he referred to Taiwan as a country in a promotional video posted on Twitter.
Howard, who has been playing in the Taiwan Professional Basketball League since November, he filmed a promotional video for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with Vice President William Lai.
Center Dwight Howard, #12 of the Taoyuan Leopards, reacts on court during the T1 League match between TaiwanBeer HeroBears and Taoyuan Leopards at Taipei University Tianmu Gymnasium on February 19, 2023 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Gene Wang/Getty Images)
«Hi everyone, I’m Dwight Howard and since coming to Taiwan I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for this country,» said the former NBA star.
FORMER NBA STAR DWIGHT HOWARD, 11 OTHERS KICKED OUT OF GAME IN TAIWAN AFTER MASS FIGHT OUTBREAKS
«This place makes me feel so much love and I experience so much hospitality with [a] friendly and great living environment with such a diverse culture.»
Lai also refers to Taiwan as a «free country.»
According to a Reuters report, the hashtag #HowardTaiwanindependence had nearly 400 million views on the Chinese social media platform Weibo on Friday.
Center Dwight Howard, #12 of the Taoyuan Leopards, fights for the basket during the T1 League match between TaiwanBeer HeroBears and Taoyuan Leopards at Taipei University Tianmu Gymnasium on February 19, 2023 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Gene Wang/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Taiwan first seceded from mainland china in 1949, but China still claims sovereignty over self-rule Taiwan. The State Department describes its relations with Taiwan as an «unofficial relationship.»
Howard apologized for his comments on Friday, adding that he does not want to «get involved in politics.»
“Where I come from, if I say I want to go to the countryside, it doesn’t mean that place is a country. This is how we talk,” he told local reporters, via CNN.
Center Dwight Howard, #12 of the Taoyuan Leopards, defense during the T1 League match between TaiwanBeer HeroBears and Taoyuan Leopards at Taipei University Tianmu Gymnasium on February 19, 2023 in Taipei, Taiwan. (Gene Wang/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
«If I offended anyone in China, I apologize. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone with what I said in the commercial.»
He continued: «I’m not a politician. I don’t want to get involved in any politics… I have the highest respect for the Chinese and the highest respect for the Taiwanese, so it was never my intention to disrespect anyone.»