‘We have never accepted the term Chinese Taiwan’: President Tsai Ing-wen defends film awards
- Taiwanese president steps in after speech by director of best documentary winner sparks controversy
- Awards highlight the freedoms that set Taiwan apart from China, she adds
Taiwan’s president has expressed her support for the prestigious Golden Horse film awards after a speech by a film director who supports Taiwan independence ignited controversy in China.
President Tsai Ing-wen said in a Facebook post on Sunday that “we have never accepted the term ‘Chinese Taiwan’ … Taiwan is just Taiwan.”
She added that the Golden Horse awards, akin to a Chinese-language Oscars, highlighted the freedoms that set Taiwan apart from China.
Director Fu Yue said during her acceptance speech Saturday that her biggest hope was for “our country” to be regarded as an “independent entity”. Her film Our Youth in Taiwan won best documentary.
Taiwan split from China amid civil war in 1949, but Beijing considers the self-ruled island part of its territory.
Chinese netizens strongly criticised Fu on her Facebook page.