TWICE's Tzuyu Reportedly Offered China Career Deal With One Condition: Back 'One China'

Reports out of Taiwan claim that a Chinese industry figure contacted Tzuyu's family with a blunt proposition: publicly state that Taiwan is part of China, and in return receive full support for broadcast appearances, concerts, and management activities on the mainland. The timing is suspicious, given that Tzuyu's contract with JYP Entertainment is nearing its expiration date.

The intermediary named in the reports is Zhao Shaowei, a veteran Taiwanese entertainment manager. According to the coverage, Zhao made contact with Tzuyu's mother, and discussions included the possibility of the TWICE member making a public statement along the lines of "One China" or "Taiwanese people are Chinese." An anonymous source claimed those statements were framed as a condition for Chinese industry resources, not a bonus.

Zhao pushed back, telling local media he had not signed any formal cooperation agreement with Tzuyu's side and that discussions had stalled because her mother is currently in the middle of re-contract negotiations with JYP. He also flatly denied that any political element was involved in his contact with the family. What he did not deny: the contact itself.

This is not entirely new ground. Zhao was already reported to have met with Tzuyu's mother back in September 2025 to discuss the possibility of Chinese activities. At the time, he acknowledged the meeting but cited a confidentiality clause to avoid specifics. The latest reports effectively expand on that earlier story, adding the political condition angle that was absent before.

The 2015 shadow

The reason this lands hard is the history. In November 2015, a 16-year-old Tzuyu appeared on a Korean broadcast holding a Taiwanese flag. The backlash from Chinese audiences was immediate, and ahead of elections in Taiwan, she released a video apology stating that "there is only one China." It became one of the most widely discussed political controversies in K-pop history and followed her for years.

Ten years on, that same phrase is back in circulation around her name. Taiwan's Ministry of Culture responded to the current reports by warning the public to stay alert to united front activities, a reference to organized efforts by China to shape political sentiment in Taiwan and among diaspora communities.

Tzuyu posted on fan platform Bubble on the day the reports surfaced. She acknowledged that rumors were circulating online and told fans not to worry too much. Short, calm, and not particularly committal, which, given the circumstances, is probably the only thing she could reasonably say.