China has pressured an influential Taiwanese rock band called Mayday to make pro-China comments ahead of Taiwan’s key elections next month, according to sources with direct knowledge of the situation and a Taiwan security note reviewed by Reuters.
China’s National Radio and Television Administration had asked Mayday to publicly voice support for Beijing’s claims that democratically governed Taiwan is part of China and to join China’s “media propaganda on Taiwan,” according to the internal Taiwan security note reviewed by Reuters.
The note from earlier this month cited intelligence on Chinese government activities gathered by Taiwan authorities.
Mayday are among the most successful Taiwanese artists in China, a market that has become increasingly challenging for Taiwanese celebrities as Beijing steps up its political pressure to assert its sovereignty claims.
Two Taiwan security officials looking into the matter…
