PRESSURE ON TAIWANESE CELEBRITIES
Zero Day did not cast any big-name artistes. In fact, the production ran into some difficulties as the creators had trouble casting actors and actresses to star in it.
Many feared they could be blacklisted in China for taking part in the series, according to the creators.
“Some of the members of the crew quit during the shoot due to pressure from China. They had signed documents that restricted their opinions as one of the conditions to enter the Chinese market, therefore a few directors quit because of that,” Ms Cheng said in the Reuters interview.
“It was also quite difficult to recruit actors. I had expected that because actors who have done well in China would be concerned about joining the production.”
This pressure on Taiwanese celebrities is not unheard of, said observers.
They said many would endorse pro-China sentiments – often through social media posts or participation in state-sponsored events – to maintain their careers in the lucrative Chinese market.
Some have remained neutral, avoiding explicit political statements to sidestep controversy.
But even this neutrality can be perceived as tacit support for Taiwanese independence, leading to potential backlash, said analysts.
They added that finding a delicate balance between personal beliefs and professional obligations is a challenge for celebrities.
“Cognitive warfare” has also become increasingly crucial, including in the digital space, Chinese Culture University’s Prof Niu pointed out.
“This is carried out through subtle and gradual operations aimed at influencing the perceptions of the people on the other side,” he added.
“Currently, this cognitive warfare transcends the traditional concept of propaganda used during World War II, as it combines operations related to social media platforms. The goal is to make people on the other side at least not hate me, if not identify with me or even like me.”
