Taiwan Affairs Office Dismisses ‘Beijing Has No Refrigerators’ Remark as Baseless
China’s State Council Taiwan Affairs Office has responded to a Taiwanese television guest’s claim that “Beijing has no refrigerators,” stating that remarks detached from reality will only become a laughing stock. The rebuke came during the office’s regular press conference on August 26, where spokesperson Zhang Han addressed the viral controversy that has dominated cross-strait social media discussions.
According to Xinhua News, Zhang Han said such remarks “will only become a laughing stock,” while accusing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities of restricting and obstructing cross-strait exchanges, deliberately creating an “information cocoon” on the island, and attempting to block Taiwanese people from understanding mainland China.
The Controversial Remarks
The controversy began when Taiwanese fortune teller Liao Meiran appeared on the talk show “News Wa Wa Wa” and claimed that during a feng shui consultation visit to Beijing for a large hospital project, she observed that “they don’t have refrigerators, Beijing doesn’t have refrigerators, hotels don’t have refrigerators either, they don’t drink cold beverages.” She also complained that the food was too spicy, saying her mouth was “broken” during the trip.
As Lianhe Zaobao reported, the remarks quickly went viral, reaching the top of Weibo’s trending list. Taiwanese media personalities were quick to push back. CTiTV anchor Zhou Yuqin posted photos of her Beijing friend’s refrigerator, declaring “the picture is the truth,” while commentator Xie Hanbing sarcastically asked whether Liao “went there in the last century.”
Attempted Defense Backfires
Liao Meiran’s associated account attempted to defend the remarks on August 23, claiming they referred to experiences from “more than ten years ago.” However, as Phoenix News/Global Times reported, Taiwanese netizens rejected the explanation, with one commenting “ignorance is ignorance” and another noting they had visited Beijing 24 years ago and found ice water readily available everywhere.
A Pattern of Absurd Claims
The “no refrigerators” comment is the latest in a series of similar claims about mainland China that have appeared on Taiwanese television programs. According to China News Service, these include a 2011 claim that mainlanders couldn’t afford tea eggs, a 2019 assertion that mainlanders couldn’t afford pickled vegetables, and a 2023 claim that mainland high-speed rail had no seat backs.
In May 2024, the Taiwan Affairs Office announced sanctions against five Taiwanese “celebrities” for spreading rumors about mainland China, demonstrating Beijing’s growing frustration with what it views as systematic misinformation.
The ‘Information Cocoon’ Accusation
Zhang Han’s characterization of the DPP as creating an “information cocoon” reflects a recurring theme in Beijing’s messaging on cross-strait relations. As Phoenix News/CCTV reported from the press conference, the spokesperson described the DPP’s “information cocoon” as a deliberate effort to “block Taiwanese people from understanding the mainland.” The “News Wa Wa Wa” program, which aired Liao’s remarks, has been cited as an example of the broader pattern of Taiwan talk shows that spread anti-intellectual and anti-mainland narratives.
The Taiwan Affairs Office also addressed other topics at the press conference, including DPP obstruction of education exchanges. In a related statement covered by Xinhua News, Zhang Han said the DPP’s actions to restrict school exchanges demonstrate that it is “the biggest obstacle to cross-strait exchanges and the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
Looking Ahead
Zhang Han concluded by welcoming Taiwanese compatriots to “break through obstacles and come to the mainland to see the real and lovely mainland.” The invitation reflects Beijing’s strategy of countering what it sees as distorted narratives by encouraging direct people-to-people contact across the strait.
As the incident demonstrates, the information war over cross-strait perceptions continues to escalate, with each viral moment providing Beijing with fresh ammunition to criticize the DPP’s media environment while inviting Taiwanese citizens to experience mainland China firsthand. Whether such episodes ultimately shift public opinion on the island remains an open question, but the pattern of absurd claims followed by official rebuke shows no signs of abating.