Imitations of Mao at blockchain forum spark controversy

Controversy has arisen after organizers of the Boao Block Chain Forum for Asia, which is being hosted in South China’s Hainan Province from Monday to Tuesday, invited an impersonator of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong to deliver a speech during the event.

According to the xinjinrongshendu WeChat account, the impersonator, named Xu Guoxiang, delivered a speech on Monday imitating Mao’s accent while stating he wished “wholeheartedly that the forum can achieve success.”

Xu also said during the speech that he “appreciates all guests in the name of Mao Zedong,” said the post.

The incident has attracted some online criticism, with one netizen leaving a message under the post saying that the forum was “sensational without a bottom line, which is shameful.” Another said that images of leaders should not be tarnished and that the organizers of the forum should be held accountable.

The forum’s organizing committee said on Monday that the forum invited Xu as a guest to the forum and that he delivered a speech with “an actor’s characteristics and personal opinions.” But the committee said that the speech only represented Xu’s personal opinions and did not reflect the stance of the forum, according to a statement it published on bikuai.org, one of the forum’s organizers. Bikuai. org hadn’t responded to an interview request from the Global Times as of press time.

The committee also said that it apologizes for the negative impact caused by the incident while suggesting people should “correctly read” Xu’s speech.

The Global Times also contacted Zhang Yinhai, a cryptotoken industry insider who was invited to the forum but declined the offer. “As for the impersonating incident, I think it can be treated according to laws and regulations,” he told the Global Times.

Chinese blockchain media company Kuaimacaijing, which had signed a media cooperation agreement with the forum, announced that the incident reflects on the forum’s marketing strategies that used government leaders’ images and that it would withdraw from the cooperation.

The Boao Forum for Asia issued a statement on Monday stressing that it has nothing to do with the Boao Block Chain Forum for Asia and it blamed the latter for stealing the name and logo of the Boao forum.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued a guideline in June 2007 that banned companies from using the names or images of government leaders in any form of commercial promotion.