CCTV News anchor calls for 'Wan Wan' to come home after Beijing announces '26 measures'
Taiwan News
Date: 2019/11/05
By: Keoni Everington, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
Hai Xia. (Screenshots from CCTV Weibo)
On Monday (Nov. 4), China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced 26 additional "measures" to further promote economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," including 13 for Taiwanese companies and 13 for Taiwanese citizens, whom they purport will be provided "equal treatment with the Chinese populace."
That same day, CCTV anchor Hai Xia (海霞) appeared in a prerecorded video to announce the new incentives and said, "We show our sincerity to our Taiwanese compatriots because we are all Chinese. Taiwan's destiny is connected with its motherland. Wan Wan come home!" These words were rapidly shared on China's heavily censored and carefully orchestrated social media platform Weibo, but Taiwanese netizens were incensed at the condescending, childish word "Wan Wan" used to refer to Taiwan.
Hai further said, "Some people are not being pragmatic about such practical measures. They also say strange things and even spread rumors and slander. If they don't have a Chinese heart, how can they understand our sincerity?" Chinese netizens on Weibo then dutifully spouted words of praise for Hai's statement:
"Wan Wan! Mama is calling you home." [FULL STORY]
