简体中文
Chinese executives of Samsung Electronics got down on their knees to request more ordersfrom dealers during a meeting in Shijiazhuang. This extreme action has stirred onlinedebate over the now-controversial brand, further damaging its already tarnishedreputation in China.
On Oct. 29, an Internet user named “Bulaodelaohui” posted a picture of several peoplekneeling on a stage with Samsung’s logo. The photo's accompanying information claimedthat the group was Samsung’s Chinese executives, who were forced to kneel down and begfor orders. The user criticized Samsung, accusing the company of disrespecting Chineseculture and its Chinese employees.
The post soon went viral on Chinese social media. The hashtag“SamsungMakesChineseKneelForSales” has garnered over 1.9 million page views on SinaWeibo as of press time, with most comments condemning the company’s behavior as “aninhuman insult.”
“Despite the scandal of the Note 7 battery explosion, many dealers have shown theirsupport for Samsung by ordering [our products], which has moved Samsung’s Koreanexecutives. They knelt down to show their gratitude. Their Chinese counterparts weretouched by the scene and also knelt down,” a press officer from Samsung China toldThepaper.cn on Oct. 30, adding that the incident happened during a regional orderingmeeting in Shijiazhuang.
Kneeling in Korean culture is a gesture of gratitude and respect. The Korean executivesdon’t know the cultural connotation of kneeling in China, the officer added.
“Kneeling in Chinese culture is an expression of submission and reverence, and we onlykneel before our ancestors. Samsung’s apology really disgusted me; this is China, and theyshould use the Chinese way of apologizing,” one Internet user commented.
The Samsung Chinese executives could not be reached for comment as of press time. It isnot clear if Samsung demanded that the executives kneel, or if the executives simply choseto do so.
The recent recall of the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 cut Samsung's mobile business earnings96 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of 2016, down to 100 billion won ($87.6million), the lowest level in nearly eight years, according to the company's latest quarterlyreport.
(PEOPLE'S DAILY ONLINE)
