As China builds influence in Southeast Asia, regional governments are treading cautiously as they balance cooperation with the world’s second-biggest economy against concerns about political sovereignty.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the exhibition, which opened in the Thai capital on July 24, distorted Chinese policies and “undermined China’s core interests and political dignity.”

Photo: Reuters

It neither confirmed nor denied that the Chinese embassy was behind the removal and alteration.

“The fact that the relevant country took timely measures precisely shows that the promotion of the fallacies of ‘Tibetan independence,’ ‘East Turkestan [Xinjiang] Islamic Movement’ and ‘Hong Kong independence’ has no market internationally and is unpopular,” it added.

The gallery and the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment.

Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre, one of Thailand’s top galleries, removed or altered artworks on Hong Kong as well as the Chinese government’s treatment of ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang at the request of the Chinese embassy.

The show, titled “Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity,” had a theme of authoritarian governments and featured works by artists in exile.

Its cocurator, Sai, an artist from Myanmar who goes by one name, said that China’s response showed it was “engaging in systematic political manipulation far beyond its borders,” such as in his own country, where Beijing backs the ruling military.

If the claims about ethnic minority causes were true, there would have been no need to send officials “into galleries in Thailand, no need to black out artists’ names and no need to threaten institutions into compliance,” he said.

“Censorship is never the weapon of those confident in the strength of their ideas,” he added.