As more celebrities get cancelled due to the government’s Qing Lang clean-up campaign, it appears Taiwanese actress Janine Chang might be next in the chopping block after she inevitably drew the ire of Netizens who suspected her of being pro-Taiwanese independence. Responding to the allegations, Janine issued a formal statement.
The One China policy has always been a sensitive issue. Just last month, Dee Hsu and her daughter Elly bore the brunt of Netizen’s outrage after referring to Taiwanese Olympians as “our national athletes”. Although Dee made a statement which came a week later to say that she is not pro-independence, the backlash from both Mainland and Taiwanese Netizens ended up costing her and her daughter several endorsements, and Dee also being labeled as a two-faced money-grubbing celebrity.
Janine’s Previous “Statements” Held Under Scrutiny
In Janine’s case the outrage is based off of her Master’s thesis which she wrote back in 2010. Not entirely sure how Netizens managed to dig up her more than a decade-old Master’s thesis, but her work entitled “Legal Issues in the Management of My Country’s Performing Artists” had folks questioning her stance since the wording “my country” in reference to Taiwan is apparently considered to be pro-independence.
People also took issue over a 2015 interview of her comparing the work environment between the mainland and Taiwan, saying that “Taiwan shouldn’t fall behind”. Janine also recounted an anecdote from her very first project in China. After getting into an argument with her mainland colleague a few moments before a take, her colleague was immediately able to “snap back” into character and cried the requisite tears for the scene. Janine said she was quite shocked at the transformation, telling herself “Taiwan can’t lose”.
C-Netizens took Janine’s comment to mean that she is implying Taiwan is separate from China, accusing her of just wanting to earn money by continuing to work in China.
Janine Chang Issues a Denial
In face of the mounting discussion amongst Netizens, both Janine and her Studio immediately issued a statement to say that she firmly identifies with her Chinese identity and that the rumours were completely baseless. “Throughout the course of my acting career, I have met well-respected industry seniors and aspiring colleagues from the Mainland, Taiwan and Hong Kong. I love acting and treat it as my career. The Chinese on both sides of the strait are part of the Chinese nation. I am not pro-Taiwanese independence…” captioned the actress while simultaneously reposting the statement issued earlier by her Studio on her personal Weibo page.
How this affects her career and whether Janine Chang will be blacklisted from the industry we’ve yet to see. As of yesterday however, the actress was spotted arriving business as usual in Shanghai’s airport.
xyz
How disappointing!! I understand that she wants to save her career, but to betray her nationality and democracy for fame and wealth. How many Taiwanese stars will follow?
Even if she doesn’t have a career in China, she can still be a proud star in Taiwan. But they choose to bow their head d one after another. Not just the Taiwanese, but other stars with a non-Chinese passport.
Anon
And who are you to tell her how she should view her own “nationality” ? She views herself as Chinese and that Taiwan is part of China. Anything wrong with that?
Xyz
Did you ask Taiwan for their opinion if they are part of China? Have you seen how much they oppose and fight back to being part of China ? They have their own separate government. It’s China who bully the world to not accept Taiwan as it’s own country.
Lolwhat
Having an opinion is not how independence works bro. They have their own government because they lost the civil war a few decades ago. Going to another part of your country’s territory, laying down your party’s flag and going “we’re our own country now!” isn’t how independence works.
If other countries worldwide recognise those actions as a way to declare independence, this will only introduce problems for themselves. I mean, which losing party doesn’t want to have a country of their own lol?
The formation of Taiwan as we know it is just a case of f**king up your motherland and not being able to bear the consequences when the citizens can’t take anymore of your BS and kick you out lol.
I don’t usually comment but your logic, or lack thereof, was bloody entertaining.
As for this bit of news, I don’t agree with censoring artistes for their opinions. People will act based on their own morals and values. The government cannot control people’s hearts through censorship, but they can make it known which hypocrites probably aren’t worth promoting anymore.
Xyz
Being to Taiwan many times and loving the country, I truly thought Taiwan gained their independence from Japan and China after WWII. Thanks for the history lesson, I didn’t know there was a civil war. I humbly accepted my ignorance and glad that my lack of knowledge/logic is entertaining enough for you to comment :).
anon
Maybe cause in reality every Taiwanese sees themselves as different from Mainland China and don’t consider Taiwan part of PRC? The only ones that don’t believe this are in denial or lying.
Yooi
When she gets blacklisted from Mainland, will the Taiwanese accept her back??? And how about her career in Taiwan?
Lovehj
I wish Taiwan would produce more dramas like back in 2020 so their actors don’t have to go over to China. Back then Chinese dramas weren’t popular and well produced. Don’t know what happened to Taiwan entertainment industry.
Dominique
What dramas did Taiwan have in 2020? I think part of the problem is the difference in sheer wealth. They just can’t keep up with the amount of investments China is making into their entertainment industry. China is also beginning to push out Hollywood now that their quality is rising. The market is huge too. It’s a billion dollar consumer market.
Anon
I don’t think Lovehj meant “2020”. She meant way back when China did not really have a commercial entertainment industry.
Lovehj
I meant 2000’s, I only know Taiwan and Korean dramas back then, not much of Chinese Mainland
HL
The China Government is just pressuring Taiwan in all directions… Entertainment industry is just one of the areas they are targeting. Taiwan is not on the winning side long term… as US is not as strong as they were before.. They have their own problems to deal with… Give it another 20yrs… you will see big changes. Maybe less…
Anon
China doesn’t pressure Taiwan for no reason. Taiwan government creates pressure for itself and its people. If Taiwan would just behave as a province of China and not try to pretend that it is an independent country, when legally and historically, it is not, nothing would happen. But no. Taiwan would rather cut off its own nose to spite its own face than be practical and sensible. Seriously stupid. In any country, colluding with external powers against your own country is high treason. And if they think they can still rely on the US for military support against China just for old times’ sake, then they are doubly stupid.
Atticus
Not true. Macao complied and “behaved” as you say Taiwan should and look at what happened to them. There is no being practical with China. They will push and push until there is no semblance of what was there before. Look at Hong Kong as well. That’s exactly what China wants to do to Taiwan.
I0I
So sad. It’s her career as long as she can live with herself. It’s her life. Disappointing for sure.
Support Taiwan.