China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday.
Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.”
The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year.
Photo: screen grab from Guan Guan’s Douyin page
After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions.
Guan Guan appeared as required, but the agency determined she threatened national security and social stability, it said.
The agency revoked her residency permit in accordance with Article 14 of the Measures for the Permission of Family-based Residence, Long-term Residence and Settlement of People from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民在台灣地區依親居留長期居留或定居許可辦法), it said.
Guan Guan reportedly left Taiwan on Friday last week.
Sources said that Guan Guan came from Guangdong and married a Taiwanese man, but they have since divorced. To avoid a government investigation, she last year removed controversial videos from Douyin and changed her Internet handle to “Little Chili Pepper” to avoid attention, sources said, adding that social media users discerned that she was the same person.
Under the name “Little Chili Pepper,” Guan Guan continued to post pro-China, anti-Taiwan content.
After her residency was revoked, she filmed a video angrily accusing Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) and High Prosecutors’ Office prosecutor Chen Shu-yi (陳舒怡) of being Taiwan independence supporters, alluding to an announcement by China’s Taiwan Affairs Office earlier this month that it had designated Liu, Chen and Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) as “diehard Taiwan independence advocates.”
Guan Guan said in the video: “When Taiwan is liberated, I will reunite with my daughter and let her know she is a proud Chinese.”
An official speaking anonymously said yesterday that supporting the use of force to invade Taiwan, advocating for the destruction of the Republic of China (ROC) or making statements that undermine the sovereignty of the nation are all unacceptable, adding that these actions go against the original purpose of coming to Taiwan.
“You were allowed to come and live here, so how can you turn around and harm the people here?” the official asked.
The official said that the comments Guan Guan made have gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC.
Since she does not recognize this land, and is unwilling to live peacefully and prosperously with Taiwanese, her residency permit was revoked and she was “sent back to China,” the official said.
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