"China Fires Four Officials After Arc'teryx’s Fireworks Stunt Sparks Environmental and Political Uproar in Tibet"

China Sacks Four Officials Over Arc'teryx Fireworks Debacle in Tibet's Fragile Himalayas

A fierce backlash has swept through China, culminating in the dismissal of four officials in Tibet’s Shigatse city after a controversial fireworks display by Canadian outdoor brand Arc'teryx sparked widespread outrage. The September 19, 2025, spectacle, dubbed "Ascending Dragon," unleashed a 52-second pyrotechnic extravaganza at 5,500 meters in Gyantse county, orchestrated by artist Cai Guo-Qiang to celebrate "mountain culture." Instead, it ignited fury on Weibo and Douyin for threatening the delicate Himalayan ecosystem, home to endangered Tibetan antelope and snow leopards. Netizens slammed the display for chemical pollution and cultural insensitivity, with #BoycottArcTeryx trending as critics called out the brand’s “green” ethos as hypocritical. A swift investigation by Shigatse authorities, concluded on October 15, found violations of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law, citing damage to 30 hectares of alpine turf. The fallout saw Gyantse’s Communist Party secretary, public security chief, and two environmental officials ousted, while Arc'teryx and Cai faced fines and restoration mandates. The brand’s apologies—posted on Weibo and Instagram—admitted “environmental oversights,” but skepticism persists, with sales dipping 15% in China. This saga, amplified by state media and X posts like @VOT_Tibetan’s jabs at “performative”

In conclusion the governance, underscores Beijing’s hardline eco-policies and the tightrope global brands walk in Tibet’s geopolitically charged terrain.

News source: BBC news