Taiwan official calls Chinese film promotion 'propaganda'

A Chinese film, "Love Letter to Grandma," is set to premiere in Taiwan at the 2026 Taoyuan Film Festival. The film, which tells the story of a grandmother in China's Chaoshan region awaiting her husband's return from overseas and a grandson's journey to Thailand to find him, has drawn criticism from Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) spokesperson, Liang Wen-chieh.

China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) stated that it hopes Taiwanese audiences will recognize the shared culture and emotions between people on both sides of the strait through the film. TAO spokesperson Chen Binhua highlighted the historical context of "Overseas Chinese migrating south" and "Tangshan people crossing to Taiwan" as shared memories of hardship and perseverance.

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The film becomes a propaganda piece as soon as the Taiwan Affairs Office mentions it, and it gets tainted with political color as soon as they mention it. Movies are movies, and the Taiwan Affairs Office had best say less.

However, Liang Wen-chieh expressed skepticism, suggesting that any mention by the TAO immediately turns the film into a propaganda piece. He advised the TAO to "speak less" to keep the film separate from politics. The film itself focuses on the story of "Qiaopi," letters and remittances sent by overseas Chinese.

Previously, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had invited diplomats from over 70 countries to watch the film, aiming to help them "understand China." The TAO's involvement in promoting the film has led to accusations of it being a tool for political influence, despite its narrative focus on family and cultural ties.

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Overseas Chinese migrating south and Tangshan people crossing to Taiwan are both histories of the residents of the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong leaving their hometowns, braving hardships, and crossing the sea to make a living and start businesses. They are common memories of the people on both sides of the strait.