Geng Shuang, spokesperson of Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made another response to the ongoing NBA fallout at a press conference on Friday. Geng said that China will remain open and tolerant, as it has always been, towards communication and cooperation with the international community.

A reporter asked Geng about China's stance on the NBA fallout as well as if the country will impose any political requirements on foreign athletes, coaches and teams attending the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.

"I have already responded to the NBA issue recently. Today, I want to reiterate that an essential prerequisite for communication and cooperation is mutual respect, either in China, the U.S. or any other country in the world," answered Geng.

"As you mentioned the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Chinese side has been focusing on preparing for the event, and so far everything is going well. Athletes and coaches from all countries and regions will be welcomed with open arms when they arrive in China to participate in the event."

"Like I said yesterday, China will remain open and tolerant, as it always has been, and on the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment, mutual benefit and win-win, continue active interaction with the international community. We welcome communication and cooperation with foreign institutions and personnel."

On October 4, NBA's Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey posted improper remarks on Twitter in support of protesters in Hong Kong. He soon deleted the tweet and tried to distance himself from both the team and the league, similar to what NBA Commissioner Adam Silver tried to do. However, neither of them made an apology.

The aforementioned behavior and attitude caused quite a stir both in China and the U.S., endangering the NBA's future in its biggest overseas market. China Media Group (CMG) and Tencent Sports, among others, have suspended cooperation with the league, while multiple Chinese brands, including Li Ning and Peak, have halted their funding to the NBA.