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Taiwanese Actress Sung Yün-hua Apologizes For Calling Taiwan A Country, Says China Is Her Motherland

Taiwanese actress Sung Yün-hua (宋芸樺) has apologized for calling Taiwan a "country" and said that China is her "motherland". 

25-year-old Sung gained notoriety in mainland China with her role in the 2018 film Hello Mr. Billionaire (西虹市首富), but in recent days she has become the target of fierce criticism on the part of Chinese netizens for comments they deem unpatriotic. 

In 2015 during an interviewed with Taiwan-based Ming Weekly Sun was asked what her favourite country was. "My favourite country is Taiwan," she replied. The video of that interview went viral days ago, causing an uproar among Chinese netizens. 



 China views Taiwan as part of its territory, and Beijing has not renounced the use of force to bring about "reunification". Chinese citizens are taught that Taiwan is an inalienable part of their country, and Chinese media daily carry stories critical of Taiwan independence. 

Taiwanese celebrities who refuse to endorse Beijing's "one-China principle" may incur considerable financial losses. One notable example is that of Taiwanese singer A-mei, whose albums and TV commercials were banned in mainland China after the artist performed the Taiwanese anthem at the presidential inauguration in 2000. 

On her official Weibo account Sung Yün-hua apologized for calling Taiwan a country and distanced herself from Taiwan independence. "I am Chinese," she wrote. "Taiwan is my hometown, China is my motherland."

"I was deeply influenced by the different history, culture and customs of my city," she continued, "but the more I learn, the more I feel respect and ardent love for my own country. Taiwan is the place where I was born, the mainland motherland is the place where my dreams have come true. Most especially, this year the country's policy of favouring Taiwan has given me more chances to develop myself and learn. There are many things I haven't learnt yet, but I will humbly learn about all kinds of issues, learn from everyone's criticism and supervision. I feel proud as a Chinese. I ardently love both my hometown and my motherland, both sides of the Taiwan Strait will forever be one family."

Sun's apologetic statements reflecting Chinese state propaganda angered some Taiwanese netizens, who accused her of appeasing China for the sake of money and career. Mainland Chinese netizens weren't happy, either, claiming that she had once expressed pro-Taiwan independence views and her apology could not be sincere.
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