Hello and welcome to another episode of the Americano podcast, a series of discussions about American politics and the Trump presidency.

I would like to remind you all that we have just launched our print edition, and I'd like to encourage you all to subscribe.

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Today we are going to be talking about China and the MBA. Has American basketball

kowtowed to Beijing?

I'm joined by Melissa Chen, who is now the New York editor of Spectator USA.

Hello, Freddie.

And we're going to be talking about the NBA's epic cowtow to Beijing.

Now, for our British listeners, Melissa, we should explain that the NBA is the National Basketball Association.

Yes.

And there's been a big controversy this week because I think it's the general manager of the Houston.

You're going to have to correct me if I get this wrong.

The Houston Rockets.

Yes.

Darrell Morey tweeted something in support of the Hong Kong protesters.

Yes.

And China took exception to this and a sort of ongoing drama has ensued.

Right.

Could you give us a sort of rough timeline of what's happened and how bad it's got?

So all of this is happening in the context of the Hong Kong protests have been going on for about four months now.

Tensions are increasingly being escalated.

The protests have not backed down.

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