Taipei [Taiwan], June 6 : Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has raised concerns over what it described as the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) use of sports exchanges for united front propaganda, following the appearance of top Taiwanese table tennis player Lin Yun-ju at a pre-game event in China that was deemed controversial, as reported by Focus Taiwan.
During a press briefing on Thursday, MAC Deputy Head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh said Lin was likely "arranged" to participate in a political display orchestrated by Chinese authorities.
"We believe this was an attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to use the incident for united front propaganda," Liang stated.
Photos and videos widely circulated online on Wednesday showed Lin, Taiwan's highest-ranked male table tennis player, wearing a red scarf, a symbol of the Chinese Young Pioneers, during an event in Shandong province. In the footage, Lin is seen singing the patriotic song "I Love You, China" while holding hands with elementary school students also wearing red scarves.
According to the MAC, Lin was "unknowingly" made to participate and was "manipulated" into joining the politically charged activity. It added that Lin's involvement had been "deliberately publicised" by Chinese authorities to further political messaging.
The red scarf, emblematic of the CCP youth organisations, has drawn particular scrutiny in Taiwan due to its strong political symbolism.
"Cross-strait exchanges should be conducted professionally and free from political manipulation. Unfortunately, the CCP repeatedly uses such opportunities to promote united front narratives, distorting the intent of sports and cultural engagement," the MAC emphasised.
As cited by Focus Taiwan, Lin travelled to China solely for competition and was unaware of the nature of the event beforehand. He reportedly expressed discomfort and voiced concern upon realising the setting.
The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates on its government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state.