The “Five-Star Flag Incident” at the Paris Grand Formosa Hotel continues to escalate, with the Formosa Group issuing an apology statement while emphasizing their adherence to the “1992 Consensus” and opposition to Taiwan independence. In response to this, Taiwanese legislator Wang Ting-yu stated that there is no need to attack the businesses that “bowed their heads,” but doing business in China requires adherence to the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party, proving that China is a high-risk country not suitable for investment.
Legislator Wang Ting-yu pointed out on Facebook that when entrepreneurs are placed in a tight spot, they are forced to bow their heads, and the party that should be condemned is the barbaric regime of the Chinese Communist Party, not the businesses that complied.
Wang Ting-yu emphasized that in commercial transactions, both parties “take what they need,” with no one being superior to the other. However, doing business in China means following the ideological dictates of the Chinese Communist Party and the risks of a rule by lawless “rule of man” governance, underscoring China’s status as a high-risk, unsuitable investment destination.
He further stated that the actions of the CCP and its supporters precisely illustrate that Taiwan and China are fundamentally different countries politically and culturally. Wang Ting-yu warned about the repercussions if China were to control Taiwan, indicating the treatment that ordinary Taiwanese citizens, as well as our children, would receive, which is not hard to imagine.
The Founder of Taiwan’s TSMC, Morris Chang, cautioned, “The Chinese Communist Party forces Taiwanese businesses to make statements, as these businesses, in pursuit of making a few extra dollars, swallow their pride, and even aid in CCP propaganda. However, if Taiwan falls to the CCP in the future, all our assets will be wiped out. Therefore, if we do not safeguard Taiwan and instead yield to the CCP for short-term gains, in the end, it will all be for naught. If the Communist Party invades Taiwan, everyone’s assets will be reduced to zero. People must have an understanding and not be short-sighted.”
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council released a statement regarding the refusal of the Paris Grand Formosa Hotel to display the five-star flag, which led to a boycott by mainland Chinese netizens and forced political statements. The council strongly protests and condemns the CCP’s manipulation of nationalism and incitement of emotional netizens to bully and pressure our businesses, as well as economic coercion. Taiwanese businesses have made significant contributions to China’s economic development, and the mainland should protect their investment rights and continue to improve the investment environment. The phrase “not allowing others to eat while smashing their cooking pots” is blatant economic coercion and an irrational approach that only hinders efforts to stabilize the situation in the Taiwan Strait.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China issued a press release condemning the CCP’s long-standing practice of pressuring foreign companies, including through boycotts, sanctions, tax investigations, regulatory violations, etc., to force them to comply with Beijing’s political objectives. The CCP has even incited what is known as “Little Pinks” to create disturbances through online engagements, while local collaborators echo and support these efforts, attempting to pressure the other party into compromising out of fear or pressure. Victims of such actions are widespread across the globe. The Ministry strongly denounces China’s attempts to use economic coercion for political manipulation, pressuring businesses and disrupting the rules-based international order and normal commercial activities.
During the Paris Olympics, controversies arose surrounding the setup at the Formosa Grand Hotel. Chinese internet celebrity “Instructor Zhang” released a video on the 13th, accusing the Paris Grand Formosa Hotel of displaying national flags of Olympic participating countries indoors but omitting the five-star flag, with their request to display the latter being denied. In response, the Formosa Group issued a statement on the 23rd expressing regret over the uproar caused by one of their hotel properties.