The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics kicked off on Friday (4 Feb) with a dazzling opening ceremony that showed off China’s technology and artistry.
However, the lead-up to the games was clouded by controversy, mainly over human rights concerns.
Perhaps in the same vein, as an individual protest, 2 men got on camera as a Channel NewsAsia (CNA) journalist was reporting on the games and shared a kiss.
The video, originally shared on Weibo, went viral, garnering over 47,000 views at the time of writing.
On Friday (4 Feb), the night of the Beijing Winter Olympics opening ceremony, a CNA journalist, Low Min Min, was reporting live from a watch party.
It was stated that the watch party, hosted at a pub, was attended by “Beijing locals”.
As the journalist spoke about performers in the opening ceremony, a Caucasian man in the background notices the camera.
He then taps a Chinese man who looks back directly at the camera.
The pair then walk off-screen. Seconds later, they reemerge with their arms around one another, smooching directly behind the journalist.
The brief but powerful display lasts about 4 seconds as it receives a couple of stares and shouts from the crowd.
But the cherry on top of the cake is when the Chinese man whips around after the kiss and smirks—an indication that the saucy display was anything but accidental.
He was then led away by the Caucasian man who held his hand.
The short clip of the CNA interview was shared on Weibo on 5 Feb night. The man who posted it said it was him on camera in the caption.
To date, the video has been watched over 47,000 times.
The video was primarily met with positive reactions on the Chinese social media site.
Many found the entire spectacle hilarious, with some netizens even saying it was the “behaviour of a queen.”
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The most-liked comment on Weibo said that the couple was showing off a little.
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Notably, the journalist’s segment was excluded from CNA’s video on the Opening Ceremony posted on YouTube.
The video was later reposted on TikTok on Sunday (6 Feb), also gaining virality with almost 410,000 views at the time of writing.
Once again, many expressed support for the brave display by the 2 men.
Many were also highly amused by the Chinese man’s look at the end, saying he was making history for the LGBTQ community.
However, noting China’s take on the marginalised community, some expressed concern for the 2 men.
China’s LGBTQ+ community has made great strides in recent years to push for acceptance and equal rights.
However, as the boundaries are tested, China remains a largely conservative country and has also clamped down on many community movements.
Whatever it is, this bold and intentional display by the 2 men, whether fuelled by queer politics in China or a moment of merrymaking, was undoubtedly one for the books.
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Featured image adapted from @麦批传奇谢尔顿 on Weibo.
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