‘Pursuit of Jade’ star Zhang Linghe wins fans’ applause — and political backlash — after surprise speech on Taiwan-China ties

TAIPEI, June 21 — Chinese actor Zhang Linghe won over the crowd with a greeting in Taiwanese Minnan during a surprise appearance at a cross-strait forum — but the rising star soon found himself at the centre of a political storm.

Believed to be the first Chinese actor invited to address the main plenary session of the annual Straits Forum, Zhang used his six-minute speech to call for closer cultural exchanges between China and Taiwan, drawing enthusiastic support from many fans while prompting criticism from Taiwanese officials, according to The Straits Times.

The 28-year-old, who gained a sizeable following in Taiwan after starring in the hit Chinese period drama Pursuit of Jade, opened his remarks with “tak ke ho”, or “hello” in Taiwanese Minnan, earning loud applause from the audience.

But his appearance quickly took on political significance.

“Originally, Zhang Linghe was simply an artiste, but after being manipulated and used by (China’s) Taiwan Affairs Office, he has been tainted with political overtones,” Liang Wen-chieh, deputy minister of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, told The Straits Times.

Held each year in the Chinese city of Xiamen, the Beijing-backed Straits Forum promotes exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. 

Taipei, however, views the event as a platform to advance Beijing’s interests. 

China claims Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to achieve reunification, by force if necessary.

During his speech, Zhang urged Taiwanese audiences to visit mainland China and witness its “vitality and dynamism” for themselves. 

He also called for deeper cooperation in film, music and culture, saying: “The power of culture can always transcend mountains and seas, connecting the hearts of compatriots on both sides of the strait.”

Despite the attention surrounding Zhang’s appearance, experts told The Straits Times that his popularity as an actor is unlikely to reshape political opinion in Taiwan.

“Taiwanese can admire him as an actor, but that would be the same as them admiring actors from South Korean or Japanese dramas,” political scientist Chen Shih-min of National Taiwan University told the newspaper.

“Would this one person change how they feel about their identity and make Taiwanese people want to be governed by China? It’s very unlikely.”

A long-running poll by National Chengchi University found nearly 88 per cent of Taiwanese support maintaining the current cross-strait status quo of de facto independence.

Still, analysts said Zhang’s appearance succeeded in keeping Beijing’s message in the spotlight.

James Yifan Chen, a cross-strait relations expert at Tamkang University, told The Straits Times that while the speech was unlikely to transform public opinion overnight, it could soften perceptions of China.

“His speech won’t make Taiwanese view China as favourable overnight, but it could make China appear slightly less hostile,” he said.

Reaction online reflected that divide. While some fans welcomed Zhang’s call for greater exchanges, others accused him of leveraging his popularity for political purposes.

“I really like him, but I still have a clear head,” one user wrote on Threads, according to The Straits Times.

Experts believe Beijing’s decision to feature Zhang was far from accidental.

“He is an actor who is currently very popular, so many Taiwanese, especially younger people, would be more inclined to hear what he has to say, compared with a lesser known figure,” Chen said.

Celebrities have increasingly become part of cross-strait tensions. 

Last year, Chinese actor Hu Ge also faced scrutiny after making a surprise visit to Taiwan, while Taiwanese entertainers working in China have faced pressure to publicly align themselves with Beijing’s political messaging.

According to The Straits Times, analysts believe the reaction to Zhang’s appearance could encourage Beijing to feature more high-profile entertainers in future cross-strait outreach efforts.

“This is a relatively low-risk, non-sensitive approach, because even if you criticise these celebrities for doing ‘united front’ work, they can just say they are participating in cultural exchanges,” Chen told the newspaper.