Zhang Linghe reportedly barred from entering Taiwan for fan-meet due to political tensions

Chinese actor Zhang Linghe has reportedly been barred from entering Taiwan.

According to a report by Taipei Times published today (Oct 22), Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) traded barbs yesterday over Taiwan's refusal to grant him entry.

At a regular press conference held on Oct 21, a reporter asked Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council spokesperson Zhang Han for comments about Linghe's application to hold a fan-meet and other exchange activities in Taiwan being rejected by Taiwan authorities.

Zhang Han criticised the authorities for the move, reported Global Times.

She said they rejected applications by mainland performing artists "for political purposes", disregarding the wishes of local residents.

Meanwhile, MAC said Taiwan welcomes visits by all Chinese entertainers who do not undermine Taiwan's national sovereignty. They claimed Linghe posted multiple comments on social media denigrating Taiwan's sovereignty, according to Taipei Times.

MAC added his purpose for entering Taiwan was not clear as well.

Linghe, who turns 29 in December, in June gave a speech at the Straits Forum, hosted annually by the Chinese government in Xiamen, a city close to Taiwan.

He encouraged youths in Taiwan to visit China to "feel the vitality of this land for themselves and come away with new insights and growth".

He also mentioned working with Taiwanese crew in his drama The Best Thing (2025), and that his hit drama Pursuit of Jade (2026) received a lot of love and resonance from Taiwan viewers.

"These two experiences made me truly feel that creators on both sides of the strait share the same aesthetic sense and context. They made me even more convinced that both sides share the same roots, the same blood ties and a cultural heritage that cannot be severed," he said.

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