Chinese K-pop idol told to ‘go back’ after pushing One China policy on fans

Xinyu, a Chinese vocalist of the 24-member K-pop girl group tripleS, is facing backlash after echoing her support for Beijing’s “One China” policy.

The controversy erupted on fan platform Fromm, where the Beijing-born performer reportedly wrote, “Macau is Chinese from the beginning. Hong Kong and Taiwan also.” Fans urged caution but the idol responded defiantly, saying, “People who don’t agree with me shouldn’t [follow] me on Fromm. Why should I be scared of being told off? Did I say something wrong?”

Xinyu’s statements support Beijing’s official position that mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau constitute one country under its rule. In response, Korean netizens clapped back with harsh criticism, with one demanding, “Wow if you’re gonna spew that kind of nonsense, go back to your country and do it to those ignorant people there.” Others wrote “Hope you’ve booked your flight back to China girl” and “This is why we don’t stan Chinese idols.”

The backlash reflects historical tensions as similar controversies erupted in 2015 when Twice’s Tzuyu apologized for waving Taiwan’s flag and in 2019 when Chinese idols posted Chinese flags during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests. It also occurs amid heightened geopolitical tensions, with a recently leaked audio suggesting that President Donald Trump threatened to “bomb the shit out of Beijing” if China invaded Taiwan. In 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly asked former President Joe Biden to change Washington’s language from “does not support” to “we oppose Taiwan independence.”