Officials in Shigatse in the Tibet autonomous region vowed to carry out an investigation on Sunday after the outdoor apparel brand Arc’teryx worked with Chinese artist Cai Guo-qiang to set off fireworks at the foot of the Himalayas in a publicity stunt.
“We have immediately sent an investigation team to the site and will take actions according to laws and regulations,” the officials said in a statement.
Arc’teryx later apologised on Weibo, saying it would invite professional environmental groups to evaluate whether the project had caused any damage.
The company further planned to speed up its work on a natural protection scheme in Tibet and help charity projects that promote local culture, according to its statement.
“The public’s criticism has alerted us that the evaluation of the expression of art needs to be more professional and we need to be more humble and respectful of nature,” it said.
The Canadian brand specialises in technical apparel for mountaineering and alpine sports. In 2019, Chinese sportswear giant Anta acquired Amber Sports, which owns Arc’teryx.
