Taiwanese actress Wang Rou Ying, who has a pro-Beijing stance, found herself in a troubling situation in the streets of Beijing recently. What started as a normal traffic dispute escalated into a confrontation where she was interrogated by vehement “little pink” nationalists who questioned her nationality and Taiwan’s status within China. Wang was eventually forced to apologize at the police station to escape the situation. After the incident, she released a statement denying any intention of self-harm and is now preparing to return to Taiwan as soon as possible. Netizens expressed hope that this incident would serve as a wake-up call for her.
A viral video circulating on social media captured a scenario in Beijing where a young couple with Beijing accents was seen verbally abusing a Taiwanese girl and her elderly grandfather on the street.
The man pointed aggressively at the Taiwanese girl demanding, “Are you Chinese?” to which she responded, “I am Taiwanese.” This response further agitated the man, leading to more shouts asserting that Taiwan is part of China. The girl questioned back, “Our passports are different, why should I answer your question, who are you?”
The man then became infuriated, loudly proclaiming, “I am your ancestor! Who am I? I’m your father!” A helmet-wearing woman from Beijing joined in, shouting, “Taiwan will always be part of China,” and provocatively challenging the Taiwanese girl, “Dare you say ‘Taiwan will not return’ again?”
The Taiwanese girl in question is Wang Rou Ying, an actress from Taiwan who had been working in Beijing for several months. She explained that the incident originated from a traffic dispute where a woman on an electric bike weaved through the street, leading to a disagreement between the two parties.
Upon learning that she was from Taiwan, the conversation quickly shifted from the traffic conflict to political stances. The situation escalated when a man arrived and started insulting her family in front of her 90-year-old grandfather and mother.
The helmet-wearing woman also repeatedly insisted that “Taiwan will always be part of China.” Wang Rou Ying reiterated that the passports of Taiwan and mainland China are different.
The confrontation between Wang Rou Ying and the Chinese woman intensified, with the woman even getting close to her grandfather at one point.
Wang Rou Ying stated that in order to prevent further insults to her family, she lost control of her emotions and retorted with an offensive term towards the woman. Subsequently, both parties were taken to the local police station for processing. Wang Rou Ying noted that the police focused on her use of the offensive term and warned her that if she refused to reconcile, she might end up with a warning record or a criminal record in China for insulting others.
She disclosed that she had initially told the police, “I am Taiwanese, I can go back to Taiwan, it doesn’t matter if I never come back here.” However, considering her family’s safety and smooth departure, she ultimately chose to apologize to the other party and signed a settlement agreement.
Wang Rou Ying expressed her inability to tolerate insults toward her family, emphasizing that she “cannot forgive those who bully Taiwanese.” “I am currently feeling very aggrieved and unjust as I signed the settlement agreement. I’m currently safe and also issuing a statement against self-harm,” she declared. Wang Rou Ying urged for increased attention from the public and pledged to respond to comments proving she is alive. She also affirmed her intention to return to Taiwan swiftly, stating, “I have always believed that it’s enough for ordinary people to have a peaceful and content life.”
It is noteworthy that Wang Rou Ying is considered a pro-Beijing figure and had previously been promoted by the Chinese official media. She had attended a cross-strait youth salon organized by the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League last August, where she shared her story and praised China’s vast development opportunities. This July, she delivered a speech at a symposium hosted by the Central Committee of the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League, encouraging Taiwanese youth to seize opportunities in mainland China.
Well-known self-media personality Master Shen commented in a video program that Wang Rou Ying is not as innocent as portrayed. He noted that even in July, she had called on Taiwanese youth to strive for development opportunities in mainland China at a seminar organized by the Chinese authorities. Now, following this incident, she mentioned a swift return to Taiwan after being embarrassed. He criticized individuals like Wang Rou Ying for living in delusions and being part of the false facade created by the Chinese Communist Party propaganda department. He highlighted that Taiwan’s progress is rooted in its freedom, and it is abnormal for Taiwanese to flock to China, a place with poor protection of individual freedoms.
Chinese democracy activist Wang Dan, on July 16, expressed through Facebook that regardless of studying, traveling, or seeking employment, he strongly advises against going to China at present.
Although some believe that the extreme individuals in China are a minority, Wang Dan pointed out that these few individuals dare to act aggressively because they are backed by a powerful government force. He emphasized that the opposition between Taiwan and mainland China is deliberately pursued by the Chinese government, leading to a situation where such individuals are indirectly encouraged. He warned that in a country where the government deliberately fosters hostility toward Taiwanese people, encountering such humiliation and rudeness, especially with the increasing urgency of China to “take back Taiwan,” becomes more likely.
Japanese-Chinese Senator Ishi Ping forwarded the video, stating that it should be widely circulated worldwide to showcase the brutish, arrogant, and brainless nature of Chinese patriotic nationalists. He urged the Taiwanese people to see the malicious side of Chinese nationalists, imagining the treatment Taiwan would face if it were absorbed by China.
Overseas netizens also discussed the incident, with many saying, “Since she is Taiwanese, shouldn’t she know the meaning of ‘do not enter a dangerous country, do not dwell in a chaotic country’?” and “Never go to China! No matter how beautiful and magnificent the land in mainland China appears, as long as it is under communist rule, you will face humiliation if you go!” Some criticized Wang Rou Ying for participating in Chinese united front activities and receiving a blow for it, suggesting that this incident might serve as a wake-up call for her.
In recent years, incidents of Taiwanese citizens going missing or facing interrogation during trips to China have been on the rise.
On July 16, Liang Wen Jie, deputy chairperson and spokesperson of the Mainland Affairs Council, stated during a routine press briefing that his office had received reports that in June this year, a serving police officer and a retired police officer who traveled to Fujian were detained and interrogated by Chinese state security personnel. They were taken from their lodging to a third location for isolation and questioning, then told not to report back to Taiwan upon their return.
He relayed the accounts of the two individuals upon their return, where they expressed that they previously didn’t consider going to mainland China as dangerous. However, after undergoing interrogation, they urged the Mainland Affairs Council to advise all public officials working in sensitive agencies to refrain from going to mainland China to avoid potential infiltration by the Chinese government.
On July 9, Liang Wen Jie informed during a press briefing that from the end of June to the 9th of the current month, another 10 individuals had gone missing in China, with one person being interrogated. Among them, a group of four individuals remained missing, with their status unknown. Another individual went to China to visit relatives while one went for job-seeking, and the reasons behind the other four individuals’ trips were unclear.