S.H.E's got the look

Popular girl group S.H.E were among the many Taiwanese celebrities performing in Hong Kong's shopping malls over the festive season and hosting countdown celebrations.

The group, formed seven years ago, comprises Selina Jen Chia-hsuan, Hebe Tien Fu-chen and Ella Chen Chia-hwa: they shot to stardom after appearing in a talent show in Taiwan.

S.H.E have released 11 albums and are now the most popular girl group in Taiwan. They also won several music awards in Hong Kong recently.

Chen, who usually speaks for the band, said she disagreed that Taiwanese artists - who local media dubbed 'the Taiwanese gang' - were invading their Hong Kong counterparts' turf. Instead, she said, it was a win-win situation for both performers and their fans.

'In Taiwan, we also have Hong Kong artists such as Andy Lau Tak-wah and Aaron Kwok Fu-shing holding sell-out concerts,' she said. 'It is normal for artists to travel abroad to meet their fans. I don't see it as competition. At the end of the day, the people who will benefit the most will be the fans.'

The increasing number of Taiwanese stars appearing in Hong Kong could also mean the economic crisis was taking a toll on the island's entertainment industry and the artists must find new markets to support them.