New | ‘Separatist’ label ‘unfair for Taiwan’s teen pop star Chou Tzu-yu: Chinese state media
The 16-year-old singer’s act of waving island’s flag reflects recognition of ‘one China’ principle: commentary
It is unfair to label Taiwanese teen pop star Chou Tzu-yu, who has apologised for waving the island’s flag on a South Korean TV show, as a “Taiwan separatist”, according to Chinese state media.
“Chou’s waving of the flag is an act of recognising the ‘Republic of China’,” said an article published on Sunday by Xiakedao on the social media account of the People’s Daily’s overseas edition.
“The expression of the Republic of China contains the ‘one China’ principle. ‘One China with respective interpretations’ is an understood concept across the strait.”
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The Republic of China is Taiwan’s official name. Beijing considers Taiwan a part of China to be brought under its control. In 1992, Beijing and Taipei, then ruled by a Kuomintang government, agreed to the concept of “one China” – the understanding that there is only one China but that each side can have its own interpretation of what that means.
Yet the 1992 consensus, as it came to be known, is not widely known among those on the mainland, most of whom believe the island should come under the Communist Party’s rule.
Although the programme aired in November, she was called out by singer Huang An only recently. Huang slammed her actions, calling her a “Taiwan separatist”.
Last Friday night, Chou released a video through her South Korean agent JYP Entertainment, apologising for the deed and stating that “there is only one China and the two sides of the strait are a unified entity”.