Coca-Cola is considering dumping pop singer Sherry Chang Huei-mei as the face of Sprite because of Beijing's anger at her recent performance in Taiwan.
A spokeswoman for the soft-drink giant said Chang, known as A-mei, had a contract that was due to expire at the end of the year, but the situation was now 'up in the air'.
'We'll review the plan because we can't use her in China. I can only tell you there are a number of possibilities,' Coca-Cola China spokeswoman Brenda Lee said.
State-run television, newspapers and billboard owners said last week they had been ordered to stop running Sprite commercials featuring the 26-year-old after she sang the Taiwanese national anthem at the inauguration of President Chen Shui-bian. There were reports Chang may also face a three-year ban on performing on the mainland.
Ms Lee confirmed Coca-Cola had been warned of Beijing's plans before Chang's performance. It discussed the matter with her the day before, but said it did not advise her against singing. 'It's up to the artist to decide whether she should do it or not,' Ms Lee said.
Coca-Cola went ahead with a project in Australia last week with Chang, despite the mainland ban. A television commercial was filmed outside Sydney, which Coca-Cola said it could use in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
