Eason Chan may have to pay Adidas $10.4m for breaking contract over Xinjiang cotton controversy

After getting slammed by some fans for turning "a blind eye to the condition of human rights", Hong Kong singer Eason Chan could be wading into even murkier waters.

The latest media reports say he may need to pay Adidas damages amounting to a whopping HK$60 million (S$10.4 million) for ending their contract over the Xinjiang cotton controversy.

Last week, the 46-year-old announced that his company My Kan Wonderland Limited would no longer be a brand ambassador for the sportswear label.

The statement, published on Weibo, read: "This company and its artist Mr Eason Chan resolutely boycott any behaviour vilifying China. Starting from today, we will terminate all collaborations with the Adidas brand."

An article by South China Morning Post said thousands of people flooded Eason's page criticising his move, with some vowing to never attend his concerts or buy his albums again.

Eason is just one of the many celebrities who have cut off ties with international brands that have spoken out against sourcing Xinjiang cotton over concerns that Uighurs are forced to produce it.

Lawyers from China allegedly said that celebrities could break the contracts without repercussions using a section of the civil code that disallows the abuse of civil rights to hurt the country.

However, according to media reports, this applies to stars who are brand ambassadors within China.

There is speculation that Eason's hefty damages could be because he's a global ambassador and thus the terms and conditions in his contract are different. Apple Daily reportedly reached out to his management agency for comment but did not receive a response.

ALSO READ: Fans slam Canto-pop star Eason Chan for cutting ties with Adidas amid Xinjiang cotton row

kwokkarpeng@asiaone.com