From Yahoo Taiwan:

Minister of Economic Affairs calls on nation to support HTC, netizen backlash

HTC’s operations have weakened, impacting Taiwan’s export figures, resulting in 5 successive months of negative growth and seriously affecting Taiwan’s economic growth. In order to stop the decline, Minister of Economic Affairs Shih Yen-shiang today (the 10th) called for his fellow countrymen to “Affirm and support HTC, starting with loving and using their mobile phones”. This statement prompted backlash on the internet, PTT saw countless posts slammed, criticizing HTC for considering themselves to be a mainland Chinese brand and belittling Taiwan, [with netizens] unable to agree with Shih Yen-shiang’s point of view.

Shih Yen-shiang revealed that he and the Vice-Economic Minister both use HTC phones, that the government has a close relationship with HTC, provides assistance, and hopes that everyone will unite in supporting domestic companies. Netizens didn’t show any appreciation, wit some people with angrily digging out HTC chairman Cher Wang’s past statements, pointing to her having said “HTC is an indigenous Chinese brand”, so Taiwanese officials now calling for the masses to support a ‘non-Taiwanese brand’ is truly unpersuasive.

In addition, it was only this past May that witnessed the One S “Processor Incident,’ which was also brought up by netizens for criticism and to point out that HTC “is not especially patriotic”. When the same model sold domestically turned out to have a relatively lower level processor, HTC not only didn’t offer an explanation, the price set was still the same as overseas, making people confused as to just how they could offer their support. Netizen 陳宗顯 recommended that HTC to first reduce prices and raise specifications to match those abroad, and then discuss the issue of HTC’s character, “Minister Shih stop bullshitting us.” Scott Chen put it more bluntly: “Sells expensive rubbish to Taiwan and the government officials still comes out to peddle propaganda, what is this?”

Amidst the wave of vicious abuse, there were still some netizens who express support, rationally analyzing that Taiwanese businesses indeed need support first from their countrymen because confidently enter the international [market]. Netizen 梁智強 said, HTC’s production base, R&D, and innovation are all domestic, so even though there are lots of areas that need to be improved, we can’t deny the hard work of the majority of HTC’s Taiwanese engineers and Taiwanese employees, so everyone should use recommendations instead of abuse. Cindy Chang also said: “Only if our own countrymen love to use them can foreigners be persuaded, its rare for a indigenous Taiwanese brand to be on the international [market].”

Netizen 吳宜晏 calmly said: “As the old saying goes, stick to market mechanisms” believing consumers should choose products that meet their needs and budget rather than blindly follow brands， so if HTC hopes to receive support, they must produce quality goods rather than hoping to get support solely through patriotic sentiment.

Comments from Yahoo Taiwan:

一頁書:

I use money to support you and you use slogans to repay me. Sincerity repaid with heartlessness.

Ben:

Why do I feel the Economic Minister is telling us that when we encounter swindlers, we should open our wallets to make it easier for the swindlers to take our money?

閻朱政德:

Lower prices, raise specifications.

★達棍★:

Learn from Samsung, keep the best and highest level stuff for their own country to use. But HTC? Same model, same price, but different specifications? Saving low level stuff for Taiwan! What is the meaning of this? Taiwan is obviously not your main market, therefore you should not require Taiwanese people’s support!

【深白色】:

Minister, you’re joking, right!? Calling the ordinary common people to go save Big Boss Wang?

哈利:

Please everyone support Acer and ASUS. These two company’s phones are much more sincere.

1234a:

A country’s economy is dependent on a single company ~ Isn’t that a bit pathetic…

小猴子:

A [mainland] Chinese brand should seek [mainland] Chinese help.

Kawasaki:

HTC considers itself to be a mainland brand… So what should we support?… Go eat shit.

內克:

Reject Communist bandit brands!

What do you think? Of HTC? Of the Taiwanese government’s call for support? Of some netizens’ backlash?