Taiwanese TV star Kevin Tsai faces backlash in China over campaign event
Tsai has 36 million Weibo followers, and state media warned him that flirting with the pro-independence camp would carry a price.
Kevin Tsai, a Taiwanese TV star, has reportedly sold many millions of books in mainland China. Tsai was filmed at a campaign event for Puma Shen.
Shen is a Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei mayor. Beijing has sanctioned Shen and labelled him a separatist.
Tsai's commercials were pulled from Chinese networks, and some clips of his TV shows have disappeared. Tsai has 36 million followers on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.
Chinese state media warned that flirting with the pro-independence camp would come at a price. Beijing is closely watching the Taipei mayor race as a guide to political mood.
Why it mattersEven a star with millions of mainland followers can face penalties for appearing at a Taiwan campaign event.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet. A change would come if Beijing pressured an Australian entertainer or company over Taiwan politics.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 4 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
