TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's top mainland affairs official warned Thursday (Oct. 2) that celebrities face government action if their social media posts cross two "red lines" while celebrating China's National Day. The warning from the Mainland Affairs Council (陸委會), Taiwan's top China policy body, minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) follows controversy over prominent Taiwanese stars sharing congratulatory messages for the People's Republic of China's 76th anniversary a day earlier.
The government will not penalize celebrity posts unless they demean Taiwan or support Chinese military actions against the island, Chiu announced during a radio program. These restrictions aim to help Taiwanese artists resist Chinese Communist Party demands for political statements rather than serve as punishment mechanisms, he explained. The minister declared the two red lines non-negotiable while emphasizing concerns over actions that harm Taiwan's sovereignty.
Chiu urged celebrities to value Taiwan's democratic freedoms and avoid becoming instruments of China's united front tactics, a political strategy aimed at winning over Taiwanese public opinion. He suggested artists facing career difficulties in China consider returning home for opportunities, arguing that Beijing's coercion of entertainers and businesspeople into political statements deepens cross-strait divisions.
Chinese state media outlets CCTV-13 (央視新聞) and People's Daily (人民日报) published celebratory articles on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, on Wednesday (Oct. 1), marking the People's Republic's 76th anniversary. Prominent Taiwanese celebrities, including singer Wang Leehom (王力宏), television host Patty Hou (侯佩岑), and actor Wu Kang-ren (吳慷仁), shared these posts with congratulatory messages, generating significant public attention.