Taiwanese artists expressed support for "unification" in China, and Lai Qingde called for understanding

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After the inauguration of Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te, many Taiwanese artists who have developed in China have reposted messages on social media calling for "unification" or "Taiwan belongs to China". Taiwanese artists Mayday and Jolin Tsai, who are currently touring in China, even used the expression "We are China" on stage. In response, Lai Ching-te called on the Taiwanese people to "forgive" these artists who "live under the same roof". However, some people reminded that this is Beijing's way of dividing and disintegrating the Taiwanese people, and called on them not to be fooled.

Taiwanese artists Patty Hou, Didi Ouyang, Angela Yang, Jeff Chang, Michelle Chen, Rainie Yang, Joe Chen, Jiro Wang, Ming Dao and others reposted CCTV reports on Weibo on the 23rd and 24th, saying that "China will eventually achieve complete reunification and Taiwan will surely return to the embrace of the motherland", "Taiwan has never been a country and will never become a country", "Taiwan independence is a dead end and the reunification of the motherland is unstoppable", etc. The text also included the word "unification" with the five-star flag inserted in it.

Mayday and Jolin Tsai also jumped on the "We China" train, netizens witch-hunted, Jay Chou did not make a statement

Mayday, a popular band that used to be positioned as biased towards Taiwan, had lead singer Ashin blurt out during their concert at the Beijing Bird's Nest on May 25: "Do you want to know what we ate in Beijing yesterday when we were resting? Do you want to know?", "We Chinese must eat Peking duck when we come to Beijing, what else do we want to eat?" At the same time, Taiwanese female singer Jolin Tsai also said at the concert: "Nanchang in China is the most welcoming, right?" These were all interpreted as statements that she identified as Chinese.

Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te said that it was not the first time that Taiwanese cultural workers were forced to make political statements in China, and it would not be the last time. "Every time Taiwanese cultural workers are under pressure under someone else's roof, I feel very sad." Lai Ching-te asked the Taiwanese people to understand: "Under someone else's roof, our cultural workers, what they say is one thing, but what is more important is what they think in their hearts, and we should give them understanding and consideration."

Lai Ching-te's "forgiveness theory" is praised by some as a gentle test, while others are criticized as stupid.

This is the first time that Lai Ching-te has set the tone for this phenomenon since he took office as president. Chen Fangyu, assistant professor of political science at Soochow University in Taiwan, analyzed that Lai Ching-te's soft response was a test to show his high standards. However, some supporters of the green camp expressed indignation. Li Zhongxian, a professor at National Cheng Kung University, criticized Lai Ching-te on Facebook, saying, "It's really stupid to say this," "There are many things that a president doesn't have to say. Doesn't this make the 100,000 people who took to the streets look like idiots?", "These artists who earn more money in RMB earn more and have a better material life. Why should we be sympathetic to them?"

Wang Xinghuan, chairman of the pro-independence Taiwan People's Party, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia: "I can understand that as president, Lai Ching-te wants to show his care and tolerance for the livelihoods of all citizens, so he used such flexible and tolerant rhetoric. But the pro-independence Taiwan People's Party cannot accept or forgive artists who have to kneel down to earn RMB and lick the Communist Party's boots. What's more, they have influence and can drive trends."

Wang Xinghuan warned that Taiwan's greater crisis is that Fu Kun-chi and Huang Kuo-chang have jointly led the amendment of the law in contempt of Congress. Once the law is passed, even businesses and citizens will be subject to hearings and investigations in the future, and any artistic and cultural creations and sponsors may be called in for investigation at any time. By then, Taiwan will no longer even have the space to earn New Taiwan dollars.

Chinese dissident: The CCP’s polarization and cognitive warfare against Taiwan should be ignored and not be tricked

In an interview with Radio Free Asia, Chinese dissident Gong Yujian said: "I have no doubt that this is the CCP's attempt to divide and cognitively manipulate Taiwan. This will cause the split of Taiwan independence, and the ultimate beneficiaries are the fifth column on the island of Taiwan and the Chinese Communist Party. He called on all Taiwanese people to ignore, pay attention to, and comment on Taiwanese artists being forced to express their opinions, so that the CCP's conspiracy will not be achieved."

Gong Yujian said that the highest priority of the Taiwan president should be to protect all Taiwanese citizens. The Taiwan faction should not fall into the CCP's trap. Harsh criticism of Lai Ching-te and Taiwanese artists who have expressed their views is tantamount to indirectly asking Taiwanese artists to declare their loyalty between China and Taiwan. How is that different from China's approach?

Artists who don't express their views are being witch-hunted by the Performing Arts Union: "We are all Chinese people, why can't we be together?"

Kang Kai, chairman of the Taiwan Performing Artists Union, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia that he had no opinion on Lai Ching-te's statement: "Everyone has their own ideas. The most important thing is to work hard to make money to support the family and do their job well. I don't like artists to get involved in politics, and neither side wants to fight."

Jay Chou, who is also popular in the Chinese community, does not have a personal Weibo account. He and more than 90 Taiwanese artists who did not repost the opinions of CCTV and other official media were listed by Chinese netizens and their loyalty was tested by name.

Ma Ying-jeou Foundation: Lai Ching-te's "forgiveness theory" is misleading and bullying

Former President Ma Ying-jeou, who recently visited China to meet with Xi Jinping, said in an interview with Radio Free Asia that Lai Ching-te's statement was misleading and encouraged a kind of bullying in the opposite direction: "It seems that you have to admit that you are Taiwanese and not Chinese in order to be respected and treated equally in Taiwan. In other words, it is also a kind of coercion and bullying."

Xiao Xucen pointed out that identifying oneself as Chinese is also Taiwanese, and it does not violate the Constitution of the Republic of China. Lai Qingde believes that saying that Chinese people need to be understood is creating divisions, and he should work harder to resolve them. Recently, there was a mass incident in the Legislative Yuan. The starting point was originally the parliamentary procedure, but now it seems to have turned into a mango (a sense of national demise) and anti-China incident, which is getting worse and worse, which is not good for domestic unity.

Taiwan's Ministry of Culture stated: "We understand that artists have to express their opinions under circumstances that require them to do so. Taiwan is a free and democratic country and will never ask anyone to express their position, nor will it allow anyone to be politically threatened for expressing or not expressing their position. This is the most valuable thing about free Taiwan."

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an said: "We are a democratic and free country, and Taipei is a diverse and open city. How could we refuse them to perform?"