Senator Rick Scott and Congressman Troy Nehls led members of the House of Representatives and Senate in sending a letter to National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner, Adam Silver, sharing concerns about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda being broadcasted and promoted at NBA games. The letter, signed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Congressmen Kevin Hern (R-OK-01), Byron Donalds (R-FL-19), Greg Steube (R-FL-17), Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03) highlights a recorded video message from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang that was broadcasted to thousands of fans in attendance at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Read more from Congressman Troy Nehls office below.

Rep. Troy E. Nehls, Sen. Rick Scott Lead Colleagues in Letter to NBA Commissioner Concerning Chinese Influence on NBA

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX-22), joined by U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), led members of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate in sending a letter to the National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner, Adam Silver, with concerns about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda being broadcasted and promoted at NBA games.

The letter, signed by Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Congressmen Kevin Hern (R-OK-01), Byron Donalds (R-FL-19), Greg Steube (R-FL-17), Burgess Owens (R-UT-04), Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03) highlights a recorded video message from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang that was broadcasted to thousands of fans in attendance at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

“I am proud to have led a bicameral letter to the Commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to address recently recorded messages of Communist Chinese propaganda inside an NBA arena in Washington, D.C,” said Congressman Nehls. “By continuing to appease the CCP, it emboldens them to further profit off continued human rights abuses and gives them a platform to exert their influence in our nation’s capital. It’s a national security threat, plain and simple.”

Read the full letter HERE or below:

Commissioner Adam Silver,

We write to you with grave concerns about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda being broadcasted and promoted at National Basketball Association (NBA) games.

On January 21^st, 2023, a recorded video message from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, was broadcasted to thousands of fans in attendance at Capital One Arena, situated at the heart of our nation’s capital.[1] While a message like this may be perceived as an innocent gesture at face value, it is a blatant exertion of soft power at a venue in the epicenter of our nation’s capital and gives the CCP a platform to disseminate their messaging to a national audience.

While Chinese New Year tributes are common across the NBA and in the United States, they have not featured prominent propogandists such as the PRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Officials such as Qin have threatened both the United States and Taiwan with escalation and military action.[2] In 2022, a similar night of programming took place where Qin was featured describing the strong connection between the NBA and the Chinese market.[3] It is of grave national security concern that by advancing partnerships with the PRC, the NBA only further appeases the CCP and emboldens them to further human rights abuses and threaten our national security.

In light of serious national security concerns of the NBA’s continued investment and partnership with the CCP, please respond to the following questions and explain how the NBA intends to take a stance against the CCP:

1. Did the CCP, or any instrument of the CCP, pay the NBA to broadcast CCP propaganda during NBA games?
2. Did the NBA willingly broadcast CCP propaganda or was this a favor conducted by the NBA? Was there threat of retribution if the NBA declined?
3. How does the NBA intend to denounce the serious human rights abuses of religious and ethnic groups in China, and support players who speak out against the CCP?

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