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Chinese protestors smashed iPhones because Apple is a symbol of America

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Smashed iPhones
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Chinese nationalists are smashing their iPhones "in protest of American companies," according to a report from USA Today on Wednesday.

To the right is a picture of those smashed iPhones. 

It's a bit of a complicated story, but here's what you need to know: China recently lost a international tribunal ruling over the South China Sea, specifically whether territory belonged to China or the Philippines. 

It's a matter of national pride. So angry Chinese people took to the streets to protest the United States, which is seen as the global power backing the Philippines in the dispute. 

These protestors reached for the closest American symbols they could find — KFC restaurants and Apple iPhones.

Mashable has a great GIF of students purportedly smashing iPhones in a dorm. 

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Kif was a reporter at Business Insider covering the technology industry. His favorite topics include augmented reality, machine learning, and electric cars.