This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/21/daimler-regret-parking-row-insult-chinese-beijing
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Daimler regrets parking row in which executive 'insulted the Chinese' Daimler regrets parking row in which executive 'insulted the Chinese' | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Daimler has expressed regret over an incident during which one of the carmaker’s senior executives is said to have made insulting remarks about the Chinese during a parking row. | Daimler has expressed regret over an incident during which one of the carmaker’s senior executives is said to have made insulting remarks about the Chinese during a parking row. |
| The official People’s Daily reported that Rainer Gaertner, chief executive of the German company’s local trucks and buses division, had made the comments and used pepper spray during the altercation in Beijing. It did not say from where the information was sourced. | The official People’s Daily reported that Rainer Gaertner, chief executive of the German company’s local trucks and buses division, had made the comments and used pepper spray during the altercation in Beijing. It did not say from where the information was sourced. |
| “We deeply regret this personal argument. The content of this argument does not represent at all the views of the company,” Daimler Greater China said. The incident was being investigated by authorities and Daimler was fully cooperating with them, it said. | “We deeply regret this personal argument. The content of this argument does not represent at all the views of the company,” Daimler Greater China said. The incident was being investigated by authorities and Daimler was fully cooperating with them, it said. |
| Daimler did not provide details of the incident, identify the executive or comment on the use of pepper spray. Gaertner could not be immediately reached for comment. | Daimler did not provide details of the incident, identify the executive or comment on the use of pepper spray. Gaertner could not be immediately reached for comment. |
| People’s Daily said the executive’s row was with a Chinese driver at a residential community in Beijing’s north-eastern Shunyi district. Passersby were drawn to the quarrel and tried to defend the Chinese driver, it said. | People’s Daily said the executive’s row was with a Chinese driver at a residential community in Beijing’s north-eastern Shunyi district. Passersby were drawn to the quarrel and tried to defend the Chinese driver, it said. |
| The media reports prompted much discussion online, with the outburst in the top 10 discussed topics on the Sina Weibo microblog on Monday morning. Many users posted comments saying they would avoid buying Daimler cars. | The media reports prompted much discussion online, with the outburst in the top 10 discussed topics on the Sina Weibo microblog on Monday morning. Many users posted comments saying they would avoid buying Daimler cars. |
| Critical reports in official Chinese media have in the past hit the reputations of foreign brands and dragged down sales. In June, the official Global Times criticised the cosmetics firm Lancôme, part of France’s L’Oréal, for working with the Hong Kong pro-democracy singer Denise Ho. This led to online protests against the company, and Lancôme cancelled a planned concert with the singer. | Critical reports in official Chinese media have in the past hit the reputations of foreign brands and dragged down sales. In June, the official Global Times criticised the cosmetics firm Lancôme, part of France’s L’Oréal, for working with the Hong Kong pro-democracy singer Denise Ho. This led to online protests against the company, and Lancôme cancelled a planned concert with the singer. |