TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council on Sunday condemned Want Want China Times Media Group for suggesting Taiwan is a part of China at the Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit on May 28.
Want Want Holdings (旺旺集團有限公司) General Manager Tsai Wang-ting (蔡旺庭), the third son of firm founder Tsai Eng-meng (蔡衍明), said, “Want Want originated in 'Taiwan, China' and developed in the 'motherland'. We must never forget our roots, history, culture, bloodline, and mission. We are Chinese,” per Liberty Times.
He added, “We are grateful for the support provided by the motherland and development dividends from the Chinese market, and remember our responsibility and mission as sons and daughters of China in passing on our cultural heritage.”
Song Tao (宋濤), director of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said that people on both sides of the strait “share the same roots, the same culture and the same ethnicity, and are one family bound by blood thicker than water and a shared destiny." He called on Taiwan's cultural community to resolutely oppose Taiwan independence and foreign interference and jointly promote “unification of the motherland.”
A Taiwan government official told Liberty Times that the summit is a united front platform set up by the CCP. “When Taiwanese listen to CCP lectures or go there to make political statements echoing the term ‘Taiwan, China,’ the government will certainly issue strong condemnations," said the official.
The official criticized Taiwan’s media outlets for never questioning the lack of press or speech freedom when in China. The source also criticized Taiwanese cultural figures who fail to fight for creative freedom, but instead pledge loyalty to the authoritarian regime or promote Chinese nationalism.
The MAC said Taiwan is a sovereign and independent country that “has never been a part of the People's Republic of China.” The group's participation in a CCP-organized summit and its statements echoing Beijing’s united front propaganda in pursuit of business interests in China have "severely damaged our national interests and sovereignty,” the council said.
The council pointed out that the CCP has long used cross-strait exchanges to disguise its propaganda efforts toward Taiwan. It had previously warned that events under the guise of media and cultural exchange are being used to bring Taiwanese media and cultural figures to Beijing for indoctrination.
It said such events have moved beyond simple cultural and educational exchanges and are not welcomed by the Taiwanese government.
The MAC accused Want Want of acting recklessly for personal gain. It condemned the group for willingly becoming a CCP pawn.
The government will review whether the group’s actions constitute collaboration with China's ruling party, government, and military, potentially violating Article 33-1 of the Cross-Strait Act, and will take appropriate legal action.
