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A tale of two National Days: Artists pick sides across Taiwan Strait

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A tale of two National Days: Artists pick sides across Taiwan Strait
October 11, 2024
Article Body Text Artists from democratic Taiwan have been lining up in recent days to congratulate China – calling it the “motherland” – <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-national-day-uyghurs-tibetans-10012024173810.html">on its 75th anniversary</a>, in a move commentators say has been forced upon them in return for access to the lucrative Chinese market. But some have taken a stand, pushing back against Beijing’s rhetoric by choosing to congratulate the 1911 Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – on <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-president-lai-chingte-resist-10102024121850.html">its National Day</a>. Taiwanese actor Wu Kang-ren, winner of Best Actor at last year’s Golden Horse awards, made his celebratory post on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, reposting an Oct. 1 article from the ruling Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper, the People’s Daily. His post was followed soon afterward by a handwritten congratulatory message from singer Chiao Anpu, released via her management company. <figure><img alt="02 China Taiwan artists Wu Kang-ren.jpg" class="image-richtext image-inline" src="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-artists-china-national-day-congratulations-10112024141015.html/02-china-taiwan-artists-wu-kang-ren.jpg/@@images/8f4ead92-bd9e-45e2-8592-158cf93e7590.jpeg" title="02 China Taiwan artists Wu Kang-ren.jpg"/> <figcaption>Taiwanese actor Wu Kang-ren holds his award for Best Leading Actor at the 60th Golden Horse Awards in Taipei, Nov. 25, 2023. (Billy Dai/AP) </figcaption> </figure> While their good wishes came along with statements from a plethora of other Taiwanese artists who have <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-celebrities-endorse-beijing-claims-05272024180255.html">increasingly toed a line</a> in public laid down by Beijing in recent years, Chiao and Wu have previously been publicly critical of China’s claims on Taiwan, which has never been ruled by the Chinese Communist Party, nor formed part of the People’s Republic of China. While comments on their posts showed many in China didn’t actually believe that the pair believed what they wrote, they were castigated on Taiwanese social media for “abandoning their principles” to make money in China, according to multiple media reports. Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed on Thursday to defend the island’s freedoms against Chinese “annexation or encroachment,” as Chinese military planes and vessels launched exercises timed to coincide with the “Double Tenth” celebrations. Meanwhile, Singer A Chi said he had been asked by the video-sharing platform Douyin to make a video for China’s Oct. 1 National Day. ‘Everyone is duplicitous anyway’ A Taiwanese man who gave only the surname Chu said it’s easy to criticize, but that everyone needs to make a living. “What someone says may not be what they really mean,” he told RFA Cantonese in a recent interview. “If you cherish your country deep down, then nothing will shake that patriotic feeling.” A woman who gave the surname Sha said she would likely do the same in their shoes. “We’re all just trying to survive, right?” she said. “We all have to tolerate annoying bosses and superiors in the workplace, because we all want to make money.” “I don’t think it’s a big deal – everyone is duplicitous anyway,” Sha said. <figure><img alt="03 China Taiwan artists singer R Chord.jpg" class="image-richtext image-inline" src="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-artists-china-national-day-congratulations-10112024141015.html/03-china-taiwan-artists-singer-r-chord.jpg/@@images/95d1bba9-b205-4408-85ec-660601da9f33.jpeg" title="03 China Taiwan artists singer R Chord.jpg"/> <figcaption>Taiwan-born artist Hsieh Hexian, otherwise known as R.Chord, writes “I chose a path to protect Taiwan” in his Oct. 19, 2019 Instagram post. (@chord415 via Instagram) </figcaption> </figure> Yet the messages apparently prompted Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te to hit back at the idea that China was Taiwan’s “motherland,” saying the 1911 Republic of China that rules the island is 113 years old, and could actually be seen as the “motherland” of the 75-year-old People’s Republic of China. Nine days later, some artists took to social media to mark the Republic of China’s National Day on Oct. 10. The Republic of China is a sovereign state founded with the Chinese revolution of 1911 that still formally controls the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu after losing control of the rest of China with the communist civil war victory in 1949. Showing Taiwan’s flag The first Taiwan-born artist to mark their own National Day was singer Hsieh Hexian, who released a track titled “Song of Taiwan,” writing on Facebook: “Happy Birthday Taiwan, Republic of China!” And 55-year-old supermodel Hu Wenying posted photos of herself in a bikini emblazoned with the flag of the Republic of China. <figure><img alt="04 China Taiwan artists Namewee.jpg" class="image-richtext image-inline" src="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/taiwan-artists-china-national-day-congratulations-10112024141015.html/04-china-taiwan-artists-namewee.jpg/@@images/f063cfc5-4266-4666-98d9-8e24431fe02f.jpeg" title="04 China Taiwan artists Namewee.jpg"/> <figcaption>Malaysian rapper Wee Meng Chee, left, known by his stage name Namewee, and Taiwan-based Australian singer Kimberley Chen, take part in a press conference together in Taipei, Nov. 15, 2021. (Sam Yeh/AFP) </figcaption> </figure> Hong Kong-born Chapman To took to Facebook to congratulate the Republic of China, which ruled the whole of China from the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 through to its defeat in the civil war with Mao Zedong’s communists in 1949, on its 113th anniversary. “Happy Birthday to the Republic of China!” To wrote on his Facebook account on Thursday. In Malaysia, rapper Namewee, who has been outspokenly critical of the Chinese Communist Party and its “little pink” supporters, posted a selfie with the Malaysian and Taiwanese flag to Facebook, along with the words: “Wishing our friends in Taiwan a happy Double Tenth National Day!” and took to the streets to interview people on the streets of Kuala Lumpur about the anniversary for his YouTube channel. Most of his interviewees said they didn’t recognize the Republic of China flag that is now used by Taiwan. One Chinese tourist said “the Republic of China is a thing of the past,” while a Singaporean visitor told Namewee that they had never seen it before. Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
Content Type Text
Language English
NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing Available No
Rights (Billy Dai/AP)
Network VOA
Embargo Date October 11, 2024 14:53 EDT
Byline By Ray Chung for RFA Cantonese
Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English