Canto-pop star Hins Cheung slammed by Chinese military newspaper over political stance

Local pop singer Hins Cheung has been labelled a secessionist “mouse dropping” by a Chinese military newspaper following his recent ban from performing on a mainland television show.

The disparaging remark came as authorities step up controls on the “ideological clarity” of performers from Hong Kong and Taiwan entering the mainland’s entertainment industry.

The front-page commentary in the Wednesday edition of the China National Defence Daily – a paper run by the Ministry of National Defence – accused the 35-year-old singer of backing Hong Kong and Taiwanese independence movements.

“Cheung was quickly exposed by internet users as his true self. This singer, who claimed to be ‘patriotic’ on Weibo, not only supports Hong Kong independence but has even publicly supported Taiwan independence,” the commentary said. “His two-faced acts have sparked criticism and resistance from angry mainlanders.”

The piece was headlined: “There is no way for artists to smash the Chinese rice bowl that feeds you”. It said Cheung’s ban from the television programme showed a clear stance against those who had been making money on the mainland while holding pro-independence views and insulting the country.

“For artists spotted by internet users making statements insulting China, their programmes are being cut and their advertisement contracts dropped,” the commentary said. “We cannot play soft with mouse droppings dropped in a pot of soup.”