Taiwanese bubble-tea brands caught in Hong Kong protest backlash
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Internet users on the Chinese mainland have blacklisted popular Taiwanese bubble-tea brands after a Hong Kong franchise urged solidarity with street protesters in the Asian financial hub.
The online furore began when Yifang Fruit Tea, a maker of the tea-based drink, closed one of its Hong Kong shops for a day and put up a sign that said in Chinese: “Stand together with Hong Kongers”.
Photos of the sign circulated on mainland social media this week, angering users who accused the firm of backing Hong Kong independence. Calls for a boycott spread to other Taiwanese bubble tea brands like Gong Cha, HeyTea, CoCo and A Little Tea.
Yifang and the others were blacklisted by users of China’s microblog Weibo. A white list promoted “good” brands.
“Rest assured, I won’t spend another cent on you. Yifang is rubbish,” a Weibo user named ProfiteroleK wrote in a comment that received more than 1500 likes.
Hong Kong is facing its worst crisis since returning to China from British rule in 1997, as sometimes violent protests since June against a now-suspended extradition law have become a direct challenge to the city’s government and Beijing.
Bubble tea was invented by Taiwan, a self-ruled island considered by Beijing as a renegade province. On the mainland, Weibo posts containing the hashtag “Taiwanese bubble tea shops” were read 350 million times in recent days.
The run-in with Chinese social media users is another example of how companies can get caught in political issues.
In January, Apple and Amazon were called out by a mainland state think-tank for “incorrect” Taiwan and Hong Kong references.
“Yifang is rubbish,” a Weibo user named ProfiteroleK wrote in a comment that received more than 1500 likes.”
The mainland franchisee of Yifang Fruit Tea said in social-media posts the company fired the part-time staff who put up the notice and permanently closed the outlet.
However, Amigo Cheung, the brand manager of the Yifang franchise in Hong Kong, told Reuters by phone that nobody had been dismissed yet and no outlet had been shut.
HeyTea and Gong Cha, on their social media accounts, affirmed their support for “One Country, Two Systems” or “One China”, in hopes of distancing themselves from the backlash.
Fellow Taiwanese bubble-tea brands CoCo and A Little Tea could not be reached for comment.
Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wrote in a Facebook post this week that “China’s political power has invaded into various nonpolitical areas,” citing tea as an example.
“For people living in a society with freedom and democracy, we need to stay on high alert for issues like this,” Tsai wrote, along with a picture of a cup of ice fruit tea.
Jennie, a mainland student studying at a Hong Kong university, said she had sympathy for protesting students but also felt caught in the middle.
“Seeing the locals around disliking mainland people so much, I fear I’ll be driven out (from Hong Kong) by them in the future,” she told Reuters.
Questions & Answers
Q.What specifically caused the backlash against Taiwanese bubble-tea brands on the Chinese mainland?
What specifically caused the backlash against Taiwanese bubble-tea brands on the Chinese mainland?
The online furore began after Yifang Fruit Tea's Hong Kong franchise closed a shop for a day and displayed a sign reading 'Stand together with Hong Kongers'. Photos of this sign circulated on mainland social media, prompting accusations of supporting Hong Kong independence.
Q.Which other bubble tea brands were affected by the calls for a boycott in addition to Yifang?
Which other bubble tea brands were affected by the calls for a boycott in addition to Yifang?
Users on China's Weibo microblog extended calls for a boycott to other Taiwanese bubble tea brands. These included Gong Cha, HeyTea, CoCo, and A Little Tea, which were also blacklisted by mainland internet users.
Q.How did some of the implicated brands attempt to distance themselves from the controversy?
How did some of the implicated brands attempt to distance themselves from the controversy?
HeyTea and Gong Cha affirmed their support for 'One Country, Two Systems' or 'One China' on their social media accounts. This was done in an attempt to alleviate the backlash from mainland Chinese social media users.
Q.What conflicting statements were made regarding the Yifang Fruit Tea outlet and staff in Hong Kong?
What conflicting statements were made regarding the Yifang Fruit Tea outlet and staff in Hong Kong?
The mainland franchisee for Yifang said staff were fired and the outlet permanently closed. However, the Hong Kong brand manager, Amigo Cheung, stated to Reuters that no one had been dismissed and no outlet had yet been shut.
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