Beijing warns Taiwanese not to be ‘two-faced’ after Kevin Tsai attends DPP rally

Beijing has warned Taiwanese people against acting “two-faced” on the issue of Taiwan independence after television host Kevin Tsai Kang-yong attended a campaign rally for a Taipei mayoral candidate who has been labelled a separatist by Beijing.

The episode underscores the political risks facing Taiwanese entertainers working on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, who can face backlash over any actions perceived to touch on the issue.

“No individual or force may act as a ‘two-faced person’ – reaping the benefits of the mainland’s development while simultaneously colluding with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces,” Chen Binhua, spokesman for the mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday.

“We have always respected and protected the legitimate rights of Taiwan compatriots to freedom of speech and expression, but there is no room for ambiguity on questions of fundamental principle,” Chen added.

Chen was responding to Tsai’s appearance at the opening rally for Puma Shen Pao-yang’s campaign headquarters on October 4. Shen, a lawmaker from Taiwan’s independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is running in Taipei’s November mayoral election.

Tsai, a well-known television host and writer, has built a following on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. He came to prominence co-hosting the Taiwanese talk show Kangsi Coming, which gained a substantial following among mainland Chinese audiences, before appearing on the mainland-produced debate programme I Can I BB from 2014 to 2021. His books on communication have also attracted mainland readers.

Tsai said he attended the rally to hear different views, according to Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS. He also said it would be “great” if he could interview both main candidates, referring to Shen and incumbent Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an of the Kuomintang, who is seeking re-election. Tsai’s agent said that his attendance at the rally was not an endorsement of Shen, TVBS reported.

On Wednesday, Chen said that “the actions of ‘Taiwan independence’ diehard Shen Pao-yang are well known to all”.

Shen was added to Beijing’s list of “diehard Taiwan independence separatists” in October 2024. The Taiwan Affairs Office accused him of propagating “separatist fallacies” through his role in founding Kuma Academy, a civil defence organisation.

In October 2025, mainland police announced an investigation into Shen on suspicion of secession-related crimes, accusing him of establishing Kuma Academy as a separatist organisation.

On Wednesday, the Taiwan Affairs Office also announced sanctions against VWAY, a company linked to Shen’s father, prohibiting it from doing business with mainland Chinese entities.

Chen said that Shen had used VWAY to evade June 2025 sanctions placed on Sicuens International Co Ltd, which was headed by his father. “The mainland will never allow companies linked to ‘Taiwan independence’ hardliners to profit from the mainland,” Chen said.

Tsai’s appearance at Shen’s rally sparked criticism on mainland Chinese social media, with some users questioning his motives. Many comments posted under Tsai’s RedNote account expressed disappointment over his attendance at the rally and his posts on the platform were flooded with comments saying Taiwan is part of China.

02:20

US accuses mainland China of targeting Taiwan leader’s family in surveillance case

Leapmotor, a Chinese electric vehicle maker that had previously featured Tsai in its promotional content, issued a statement late on October 4 saying it had taken down all content involving him. It also pledged to strengthen its vetting of business partners’ backgrounds and positions.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council chief Chiu Chui-cheng said on October 6 that participation in Taiwan’s “free and democratic way of life” and its “fair and open elections” did not require Beijing’s consent. He urged Beijing to respect Taiwan’s democratic system and refrain from interfering in its elections.

This is not the first time that a Taiwanese celebrity has fallen foul of cross-strait sensitivities.

In August 2025, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said some Taiwanese entertainers had reposted Chinese state media content that it said undermined the sovereignty of the Republic of China, the island’s official name. The council said such conduct crossed a red line and could amount to violations of relevant laws.

On Wednesday, Chen praised Taiwanese entertainer Nicky Wu Qilong, who recently shared a video online of himself waving a Chinese flag on Tiananmen Square. Chen said it was “only natural for Taiwan compatriots to express their patriotic feelings spontaneously”.

Beijing sees Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.