<P> British Prime Minister David Cameron rejected a request from Chinese officials to remove his poppy during his visit to Beijing on Remembrance Day 2010 . The poppy was deemed offensive because it was mistakenly assumed to be connected with the Anglo - Chinese Opium Wars of the 19th century, after which the Qing Dynasty was forced to tolerate the British opium trade in China and to cede Hong Kong to the UK . However, Cameron wore a poppy in 2015 when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping in London . </P> <P> In 2011 it was revealed that Kleshna, one of two businesses selling its own poppies on the RBL website, gives only 10% of its sales to charity . Kleshna sells crystal - clad poppy jewellery which has been worn by celebrities on television . </P> <P> In 2012 there was controversy when The Northern Whig public house in Belfast refused entry to a man wearing a remembrance poppy . Although the owners apologised, the customer took the matter to court, supported by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI). The case was significant for the decision supporting the view of the ECNI that "The poppy, although not directly linked to a specific religious belief or political opinion, would historically have been associated to a greater extent with the Protestant or unionist community in Northern Ireland". </P> <P> In the British media, public figures have been attacked for not wearing poppies . British journalist and newsreader Charlene White has faced racist and sexist abuse for not wearing a poppy on - screen . She explained "I prefer to be neutral and impartial on screen so that one of those charities doesn't feel less favoured than another". Newsreader Jon Snow does not wear a poppy on - screen for similar reasons . He too was criticized and he condemned what he saw as "poppy fascism". Well - known war - time journalist Robert Fisk published in November 2011 a personal account about the shifting nature of wearing a poppy, titled "Do those who flaunt the poppy on their lapels know that they mock the war dead?". While all newsreaders in the UK are expected to wear the remembrance poppy, those on the BBC's international news service are told not to . The BBC say this is because the symbol is not widely recognized overseas . The Royal British Legion condemned this, insisting that the poppy is the "international symbol of remembrance". </P>

Why is the poppy used as a way of remembering ww1