Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh recently visited Taiwan for a luxury jewelry brand event, where she served as a guest of honor at the store’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
During the event, she charmed the audience with her grace and humility, further endearing herself to her Taiwanese fans.
However, one particular remark triggered a political firestorm when she expressed, 'I do love this country very much,' referring to Taiwan.
This statement was quickly noticed by Chinese netizens, who criticized her choice of words.
In response, Yeoh later revised her statement on Instagram, writing, 'Thank you for inviting us to Taipei China,' a move that sparked an entirely different wave of backlash.
While her original comment had angered Chinese nationalists, her revision drew criticism from Taiwanese netizens, who flooded her post with 'Taipei Taiwan' comments, alongside national flag emojis in protest.
Yeoh, a Malaysian national, is set to begin filming the upcoming Chinese movie 'Miss Cube' alongside actors Liu Haoran and Bai Ke.
Given her commitments to projects in mainland China, it is unsurprising that she swiftly adjusted her wording to align with Beijing’s political stance.
Foreign celebrities often find themselves caught in a linguistic and political tug-of-war when addressing cross-strait relations.
In Yeoh’s case, her initial phrasing was seen as an affirmation of Taiwan's status, while her subsequent amendment was viewed as an appeasement to Chinese authorities.
Regardless of intention, her words have placed her in the middle of a heated geopolitical debate.