Yuqi draws criticism for backing China's unification stance despite i-dle bandmate Shuhua's Taiwan ties
Summary
Yuqi of K-pop group i-dle reposted a Chinese state media message supporting national unity on Weibo on Thursday, drawing attention because fellow member Shuhua is from Taiwan. The message quoted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech in Beijing marking the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen’s birth, in which Xi called reunification with Taiwan a historical mission. Some online commenters criticized Yuqi, while speculation about tensions between the members circulated without evidence of a personal dispute. Yuqi also faced criticism in 2023 for referring to Taiwan as China’s Taiwan.
Key Facts
- Yuqi added that the message expressed a shared belief among descendants of the Chinese nation.
- Shuhua has served as a tourism ambassador for Taoyuan, Taiwan, for two consecutive years, after being appointed last year and again this year.
- Beijing’s one China principle holds that Taiwan is part of China and that mainland China and Taiwan belong to one country; Taiwan’s government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claim over the island.
- In 2023, Yuqi used the phrase China’s Taiwan while discussing i-dle’s planned performances in Taiwan and Hong Kong on a Chinese entertainment program.
Yuqi, left, and Shuhua / Xportsnews
Yuqi, a Chinese member of the K-pop girl group i-dle, has once again shared a social media post supporting the Chinese government's stance on national unification, drawing attention because fellow member Shuhua is from Taiwan.
On Thursday, Yuqi reposted a message from China's state-run Xinhua News Agency on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
"The territory must not be divided, the country must not be split, the nation must not be scattered and civilization must not be interrupted," the message read.
Yuqi added, "A shared belief deeply engraved in the hearts of all descendants of the Chinese nation," expressing her support for the message.
The post quoted part of a speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a ceremony in Beijing the same day to commemorate the 160th anniversary of the birth of Sun Yat-sen.
In his speech, Xi said that throughout more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the belief that the territory must remain undivided, the country must not fall into chaos, the nation must remain united and civilization must continue has been deeply rooted among the Chinese people.
"Resolving the Taiwan question and achieving the complete reunification of the motherland has been an unwavering historical mission of the Communist Party of China," Xi said.
Yuqi's post has attracted particular attention because fellow i-dle member Shuhua is Taiwanese.
Shuhua has served as a tourism ambassador for her hometown of Taoyuan, Taiwan, for two consecutive years, having been appointed to the role last year and again this year.
Some online commenters criticized Yuqi for sharing the message without considering her Taiwanese bandmate. Speculation about possible tensions between the two members has also circulated online, although no evidence of a personal dispute has been established.
This is not the first time Yuqi has faced criticism for publicly expressing support for the "one China" principle.
Under the principle, Beijing maintains that Taiwan is part of China's territory and that mainland China and Taiwan belong to one country. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's claim of sovereignty over the island.
In 2023, Yuqi appeared on a Chinese entertainment program and said, "i-dle will soon be going to China's Taiwan, and we're also scheduled to perform in Hong Kong."
Her use of the phrase "China's Taiwan" drew criticism at the time, with some questioning whether the wording was considerate of Shuhua's Taiwanese background.
This article from Xportsnews was translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.
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