Taiwan's pop diva Chang Hui-mei
China's state-owned television, radio stations and newspapers have been ordered to stop playing her songs and running commercials featuring her.
Another singer, Wu Bai
This is not the first time the Chinese authorities have dished out such crude treatment to artists. But it has deepened public repulsion in Taiwan toward Beijing authorities.
The message of China's actions seems to be: "Anyone who sings the ROC anthem in Taiwan is an independence supporter and will not be allowed into China -- not even on TV, radio or newspapers."
According to this logic, any Taiwanese who has been to elementary school is a supporter of Taiwan independence. Voluntarily or otherwise, they have all sung the ROC anthem, in unison, at school gatherings. This is a shared, collective experience of the Taiwanese people. If Beijing so obstinately calls A-mei an "independence supporter," then all the people of Taiwan must wear the same label.
If the Taiwanese people have to suffer Beijing's interference for singing and dancing now, what would life be like after Taiwan is "one-China-ed" by China? The prospect definitely seems like a nightmare.
Even more laughable is the fact that the ROC anthem was originally the KMT's party anthem. More than 20 years ago, members of the "tangwai"
Many people have tried -- to no avail -- to modify the anthem or find a new one that better suits the newly democratized Taiwan. Now that the DPP is in power, its officials have no choice but to fall in line and sing the ROC anthem even if at heart they are filled with ideological or emotional conflicts about it.
In fact, getting A-mei to sing the anthem at the inauguration was a rather creative political arrangement. A-mei's voice brought a refreshing aesthetic touch to the anthem. What's more, it subverted the orthodoxy and political nature of the anthem, shunting aside the ideological conflicts facing the DPP.
The anthem commemorates the ROC's founding father, Sun Yat-sen
China blacklisted Richard Gere for starring in the movie Red Corner. Even cellist Yo-yo Ma
Blocking cultural and academic exchanges for political reasons has long been a hallmark of China's communist government. It reflects the nature of a dreadful, repellant rogue regime, because only such a regime can dish out these crude acts, which will only increase the resentment of the Taiwanese people against "one China."
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