Beijing has warned Taiwanese people against acting “two-faced” on the issue of “Taiwan independence” after television host Kevin Tsai Kang-yong attended a campaign rally for a Taipei mayoral candidate labelled a separatist by Beijing.
The episode underscores the political risks facing Taiwanese entertainers working on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
“No individual or force may act as a ‘two-faced person’ – reaping the benefits of the mainland’s development while simultaneously colluding with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” Chen Binhua, spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), said on Wednesday.
“We have always respected and protected the legitimate rights of Taiwan compatriots to freedom of speech and expression, but there is no room for ambiguity on questions of fundamental principle.”