'I am very sorry': John Cena apologises to China for calling Taiwan a 'country'

WWE star, John Cena has issued an apology to China and its citizens for referring to Taiwan, the self-ruled democratic island, as a “country” in a promotional interview. American professional wrestler and actor described Taiwan as a nation in a promotional video for the upcoming Fast and Furious film. However, the 44-year-old’s remarks triggered an intense backlash from China which has repeatedly stressed Taiwan as its own ‘breakaway province.’ Earlier, China has even threatened to use force against the ‘independent forces’ on the island. 

After the promotional video, John Cena issued an apology saying he is sorry for his “mistake.” He took to Chinese social media and said in Mandarin that he ‘loves and respects China and Chinese people.’ He further said, “I’m very sorry.” WWE star’s apology came after he said that Taiwan would be the first “country” to be able to watch Fast and Furious 9 in an interview with Taiwanese broadcaster TVBS (in Chinese). 

"I made one mistake, I must say right now, very important, I love and respect Chinese people," he says, in Chinese. "I am very sorry for my mistake. I am so sorry, I apologise."

China claims Taiwan, threatens use of force

Taiwan has not been ruled by China since it split with the Chinese mainland in 1949 after a civil war. However, China has continued to claim that Taiwan is its own territory and terms it ‘breakaway province’ and has even ramped up military activity near the island. The mainland has refrained from maintaining any official contacts with Taiwan and has attempted to keep the island diplomatically isolated. 

It was under the administration of former US President Jimmy Carter, Washington had shifted its diplomatic recognition of Beijing over Taipei. Now even though both China and Taiwan have extensive trade ties, there are no official relations. Other governments also have no official ties with the island except the US government and some others who have expressed support for Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The feeling that Taiwan belongs to China is so strong that in a reply to Cena’s video on Weibo, one user reportedly commented, “Please say 'Taiwan is part of China' in Chinese, otherwise we will not accept.”

IMAGE: AP