Chinese Internet users have launched an online campaign urging a consumer boycott of Procter & Gamble products because the parents of the company's celebrity endorser, Taiwanese model Lin Chi-ling (林志玲), favor independence for Taiwan.
"If Procter & Gamble doesn't drop Lin ... boycott to no end," a posting on the Chinese Internet chat board www.tianyaclub.com yesterday read. The message's author was only identified by a nickname.
The Chinese Web site contained scores of postings supporting the boycott.
The backlash came after Lin's mother, Wu Tzu-mei (
Lin returned to Taiwan from China after a horse-riding accident, Hong Kong's pro-China newspaper Wen Wei Po (
The sign read "welcome Taiwan's daughter's return to her home country," the newspaper said.
Acknowledging their awareness of the attempted boycott against Lin, the model's agent said Lin had no desire to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, Lin's mother said people should leave her daughter alone, and not let "an adult's concerns affect the child."
According to Wen Wei Po, both of Lin's parents have close ties to President Chen Shui-bian (
Lin's mother has campaigned for Chen, targeting the female vote, the newspaper said. Lin's father, Lin Fan-nan (
Procter & Gamble's representative in Taiwan, Wu Huei-chen (
US-based Procter & Gamble Co's product line includes beauty, fabric, health and homecare goods.
Lin, one of Taiwan's top models, was injured on July 8 when she fell from a horse while shooting a commercial in the northeastern Chinese port of Dalian.
Taiwanese celebrities have often come under fire in China for their politics before.
Beijing banned Taiwanese pop diva Chang Hui-mei (
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