Pop diva Madonna has waded into the war of words over Taiwan after draping herself in the nation’s flag, sparking ire in China.
The Chinese-language Apple Daily and Liberty Times newspapers ran photographs of Madonna with the flag over her shoulders as she sang an encore on Thursday on the Taipei leg of her global Rebel Heart Tour.
The move was greeted enthusiastically by many on Taiwanese Internet forums, who saw it as a boost to their quest to protect the nation’s sovereignty in the face of increased influence from Beijing.
Photo: Tsou Nien-tsu, Taipei Times
“Madonna supports Taiwan with her acts. Taiwan loves Madonna too,” one message on Apple Daily’s Web site read.
However, posts on China’s Twitter-like Weibo responded angrily.
“Is Taiwan a country? I am laughing to death ... you are just a region,” one said.
“Madonna draped the flag and you think you are going to be recognized by the UN? So funny,” another said, referring to Taiwan’s lack of international status.
China supporters also voiced their anger on Madonna’s Instagram account, responding to a picture that showed her face superimposed on a blue sun motif similar to the white sun on Taiwan’s flag, attracting 2,000 messages.
“Shut up, people of Taiwan province of China,” one message read.
“Madonna was just creating a talking point and some Taiwanese people thought she was speaking up for Taiwan independence? So funny,” another said.
Others hit back at the critical Instagram posts.
“Someone holds the flag and you are barking like a dog. So low class. If you like China so much, go back to use your Weibo,” one comment read.
The Asian leg of Madonna’s Rebel Heart Tour includes dates in Hong Kong and Macau, but not mainland China.
There was no immediate comment from local promoters or Madonna’s representatives following Thursday’s concert.
Last year, US singer-songwriter Katy Perry caused a stir in both Taiwan and China when she appeared on stage in Taipei draped in a Republic of China flag, while donning a gold dress adorned with sunflowers — a symbol of anti-China student protests in Taiwan in 2014.
Several Taiwanese entertainers have also got into trouble for waving the Taiwan flag abroad.
Last month, 16-year-old K-pop singer Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), a Taiwanese national, was forced to apologize for waving the flag in an Internet broadcast, which stoked online anger in China and accusations that she was a pro-independence advocate.
Her video apology went viral on the day of Taiwan’s presidential and legislative elections last month and some analysts believed may have cost the Beijing-friendly Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) hundreds of thousands of votes.
The Democratic Progressive Party won by a landslide, with the KMT’s rapprochement with Beijing a major factor in its defeat.
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
RSS