Taiwan lawmaker urges ban on Chinese army singer
2009-10-30

Nations Taiwan City Taipei Category Regions People Ma Ying-jeou Event China-Taiwan Source (AFP)

TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan's opposition lawmakers on Friday urged the government to ban a Chinese military singer from performing on the island, citing security concerns.

Chen Sisi, attached to the Second Artillery Corps in charge of missiles and nuclear weapons under the People's Liberation Army, is to give a concert in Taipei on Saturday.

Lawmaker Lai Ching-te of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party urged the government to cancel the event, arguing that Chen's performance would give a deceptively friendly impression of the Chinese military.

"This will dissolve the public's vigilance and hurt our national defence," Lai told reporters.

The 33-year-old Chen, popular on the mainland for her folk songs, reached a global audience when she performed in last year's Beijing Olympics closing ceremony.

A visit of this kind would likely have been impossible before Beijing-friendly Ma Ying-jeou became president here last year, leading to a drastic improvement in ties.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war and have been governed separately ever since, but Beijing still sees the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.