National Basketball Association

The Latest: Chinese say people have expressed their opinion

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:18 p.m. ET

TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the NBA's relationship with China (all times local):

6:50 p.m.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang says ordinary people have already expressed their position after a tweet unraveled the country's relationship with the NBA.

Geng says "how can it be possible to carry out exchanges and cooperation with China without knowing China's public opinion?"

He adds the "NBA's cooperation with China has been going on for quite a long time, so what should be said and what should be done, they know best."

A wave of condemnation came from Chinese companies after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted an image that supported anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong.