China has poured water on claims it asked a famous Taiwanese rock band to make pro-Beijing statements and planned to spread rumours the group lip-syncs at concerts to pressure it.
Mayday reportedly rejected a request from Beijing to make politically motivated statements with a pro-China stance, a report citing Taiwanese officials has claimed.
An inquiry was then allegedly launched in December to put pressure on the band after it rejected the order, CNN reported.
China’s propaganda machine allegedly drew up plans for state media to spark widespread public rumours about alleged lip-synching at their concerts.
Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office denies this, arguing claims it was trying to coerce the band are “fake news” and a “complete fabrication”.
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Mayday
The band’s label has also denied the accusations, but Taiwan is reportedly investigating the claims.
The officials told CNN: “We have decided to publicize the incident because it is the first time they have gone after (Taiwanese artists) on such an unprecedented scale.”
Mayday are known for their “positive rock music” and are one of the most popular Taiwanese artists in mainland China.
China’s National Radio and Television Administration asked Mayday to publicly declare its support for Beijing’s One China policy, a report claimed on Thursday.
This rules that Taiwan, which is independently governed, is a part of China.
The two nations split following a civil war, but China still claims sovereignty over the island.
An anonymous Taiwanese official told CNN: “They have been urged to declare their (political) stance during interactions with fans and public interviews.”
Beijing was reportedly seeking to advantage of Mayday’s popularity to sway voters ahead of the Taiwanese elections on January 13.
Next month’s elections are closely monitored in Washington DC as it could determine Taiwan’s future relationship with the People’s Republic of China.
In a stern message, US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, said this week: “Our strong expectation and hope is that those elections be free of intimidation, or coercion, or interference from all sides.”
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