U.S. wrestling superstar and actor John Cena apologised to Chinese fans on Tuesday after calling Taiwan a country during an interview to promote his latest movie “Fast & Furious 9”.
In a video posted on Weibo, China’s most popular social media platform, Cena apologized in Mandarin for a statement he made in an interview where he said “Taiwan is the first country that can watch the film.”
The remarks prompted ire from Chinese fans, touching on a sensitive geopolitical issue between Taiwan, a self-governed island, and China, which considers it a breakaway territory that must be reined in.
“I made a mistake,” Cena said in the video. “I have to say something right now, that is so, so, so, so important: I love and respect China and Chinese people,” he added without referring specifically to Taiwan.
