Yuqi of the K-pop girl group i-dle is facing backlash online after publicly voicing support for Beijing’s “One China” policy.
The Beijing-born singer shared a post from China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency on Weibo on November 12, captioning it, “A shared belief etched deep in the hearts of all the sons and daughters of China.”
The post quoted a speech given earlier that day by Chinese President Xi Jinping at a Beijing ceremony marking the 160th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen’s birth. In the excerpt, Xi stated that the belief that China’s territory must never be divided is deeply ingrained in all Chinese people, calling the “reunification” of Taiwan a “historic mission” for the Chinese Communist Party and a vital step toward “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
Under Beijing’s “One China” principle, mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are viewed as inalienable parts of a single nation governed solely by the People’s Republic of China. China requires its diplomatic partners to formally recognize this stance, which critics argue denies Taiwan’s self-governance and treats the democratic island as a breakaway province destined to be absorbed by Beijing.
This isn’t the first time Yuqi has waded into the politically sensitive issue. She previously voiced support for the “One China” policy during the 2019 pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, and drew scrutiny in 2023 after referring to Taiwan as “Chinese Taiwan” on a Chinese variety show.
The latest post has divided K-pop fans online. Some have defended Yuqi, pointing out that Chinese idols working in South Korea often face intense pressure from Beijing and mainland netizens to publicly align with state messaging if they want to maintain a career in China.
However, others criticized the post as particularly insensitive given that her own i-dle bandmate, Shuhua, is Taiwanese.
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