TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- A Chinese nationalist netizen has accused Taiwanese-Australian actress and wife of Taiwanese crooner Jay Chou, Hannah Quinlivan (昆凌) of being "pro-Taiwan independence" after unearthing an interview with her from 2013.

​China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) member Chen Chih-chiang (陳志強) on Saturday (Aug. 4) on Weibo accused Quinlivan of supporting Taiwan independence for comments she made during an innocuous interview that took place five years ago while she visited relatives in Australia. Chen singled out subtitles of her comments which read: "as a citizen of Taiwan and Australia, I can make progress in advancing (relations between Taiwan and Australia)."

Chen's implication is that because Quinlivan referred to herself as a citizen of the country of Taiwan and indicated that there are relations between Taiwan and Australia on a country-to-country basis, she is somehow in support of Taiwan independence.

In his post Chen wrote, "First of all, you Jay Chou are a Chinese person, but does your woman Quinlivan need to be taught a lesson?"

In response, Quinlivan's agent said that she is does not understand the question and is not interested in politics. Her agent added that she is entirely focused on her work and her family.



(Screenshots of interview from Weibo)

The post came hot on the heels of an apology posted two days prior on Weibo by Taiwanese actress Vivian Sung (宋芸樺) which included the statement, "I am proud to be Chinese." The apology had been in response to the posting of a 2015 interview by Chinese netizens on Weibo in which she said Taiwan was her favorite country.

Among the more controversial comments on her Weibo post included "I am a Chinese, a post 90s Chinese girl. Taiwan is my home, China is my motherland," "Motherland China is where my dreams are coming true,” and "proud to be Chinese." Out of disgust with her apology seeming to kowtow to Beijing's bullying, over 10,000 Taiwanese fans unliked her Facebook page.