Disney drops "Simpsons" episode in Hong Kong that mentions "forced labor"

Disney removed an episode of '"The Simpsons" from its streaming platform in Hong Kong that mentions "forced labor camps" in China, the Financial Times first reported Monday and Axios has confirmed.

Why it matters: It comes at a critical time for relations between Disney and the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and it's the latest sign of deteriorating freedoms in Hong Kong as Beijing tightens its grip on the former British colony.

China is one of the most lucrative film markets in the world outside of the U.S,, and Beijing is beginning to allow Disney films back into its theaters after banning most of its most popular hits during the pandemic.

Driving the news: "The Simpsons" episode that's not available on the U.S. company's Disney Plus streaming service in Hong Kong, "One Angry Lisa," first aired on TV in October.

It features character Marge Simpson at an exercise class with China's Great Wall on the screen behind her as her instructor says: "Behold the wonders of China. Bitcoin mines, forced labour camps where children make smartphones."