Beauty pageant contestants waving their countries’ flags during public appearances is nothing out of the ordinary. But, for Taiwan, it might lead to China throwing a tantrum.
Beauty queen Maggie Kao was supposed to take the stage on Wednesday at the 2022 World Congress on Innovation and Technology in Penang, Malaysia. Unfortunately, her appearance was canceled at the last minute.
Kao is representing Taiwan at the Miss Asia Global competition. Miss Asia contestants were invited on stage at the congress, where they welcomed attendees in their respective languages while holding their countries’ flags. But Kao was pulled from the lineup at the last minute.
Taoyuan City official Karen Yu witnessed Kao getting pulled from the stage. She posted a video of Kao at the event visibly upset and crying. Yu said she did not know why Kao had been pulled, but after she saw the other Miss Asia representatives waving their flags, the reason became apparent. She thinks it was because China did not want Taiwan’s flag on stage.
China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and rejects any indication that Taiwan is a separate sovereign country.
Congress organizers later apologized to Kao, saying they were forced at the last minute to pull her appearance.
Yu says despite the incident, the public in Penang is welcoming of Taiwanese people. She says Taiwan needs to communicate with other countries more than ever to prevent future sleights like these.