China bans Nike commercial as insult to national dignity

China has banned a Nike television commercial showing US basketball star LeBron James in a battle with an animated cartoon kung fu master, saying the ad insults Chinese national dignity.

The Chamber of Fear commercial was broadcast on local Chinese stations and on state television’s national sports channel before being pulled last month. It shows James in a video game-style setting defeating the kung fu master, two women in traditional Chinese attire and a pair of dragons, considered a sacred symbol in traditional Chinese culture.