Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The fallout from Taiwan K-pop star Chou Tzu-yu's apology is still fermenting. The 16-year-old singer, who waved the Republic of China's flag on a South Korean TV show, was accused of being in favor of Taiwan independence by Huang An, a formerly well-known TV host from Taiwan. Chou's fans claimed online Chou was not a Chinese and that Taiwan was a country. These comments have triggered viral criticism from the Chinese mainland against Chou and her company, JYP Entertainment.

So far, mainland officials and the mainstream media have not commented on this scandal. It was online public opinion that has made the issue under the spotlight. Obviously, the online criticism is a reflection of the feelings of the mainlanders.

Unexpectedly, Chou made a video apology last Friday, just a day before Taiwan elections. Chou bowed to mainland critics, apologizing that she felt very "guilty." She emphasized that "there is only one China" and she has "always felt proud to be a Chinese." In the video, Chou was shaped as a little girl forced to surrender to the mainland public pressure.

The video caused a sensation on Taiwan's Election Day. Unsurprisingly, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) hyped up the video and interpreted the apology as mainland public opinion bullying a Taiwan girl. Some even conjecture that the DPP is the brains behind the video.

Analysts believe that the DPP's election victory was expected. Yet, Chou's apology has won Tsai Ing-wen more votes from young electors.

Mainland public opinion has been blamed by some for doing the DPP a big favor. They have sorted out the online criticism against Chou and overstated its function in the election.

A sophisticated issue has been simplified. Some mainlanders are used to blaming the public opinion for wrongdoings.

First of all, it is a fact that mainlanders detest Taiwan independence. They are often filled with indignation in face of any behavior in favor of Taiwan independence. Although their indignation is rational and understandable, it is tough for netizens to handle the degree of their emotions. Netizens will never behave as rationally as professionals. Online public opinion is emotional in nature. It is also a complicated process to strike a balance in online public opinion.

Upon apology, many people started to feel pity for Chou. They are forming another camp against the critics online.

All politicians in Taiwan know what is going on. Yet, regardless of the online denunciation against Chou, the politicians are just squeezing the apology for their political interests in Taiwan. No political force from the Chinese mainland intervened in Chou's scandal. Taiwan politicians, on the other hand, are actively involving themselves in this issue. It is an unprecedented political maneuver by Taiwan.

Chou's scandal is essentially an entertainment matter - online public opinion giving a lesson to a singer who is regarded as having touched the political bottom line. Things would be over if Chou and her company took remedial actions. Yet, Chou's way of apology has become a political bomb. It is likely that JYP Entertainment or the apology was manipulated by politicians from the very beginning.

Yet, the event is not a big deal. The additional votes the DPP won from the apology have to be paid back by its political achievements in the future. If the DPP wanted to take advantage of cross-Straits opposition to maintain its governance, the party would be following a wrong path.

Mainlanders have the right to express their patriotism. Their ways of expression may not be completely in accordance with the national policies. Netizens have no responsibility to serve the interests of certain political groups in Taiwan as well. If netizens' patriotism might result in difficulties in real work, authorities ought to guide the public by releasing more information. No one should be arrogant against these netizens or criticize them as patriotic thieves.

Above all, mainlanders have not expressed sufficient patriotic feelings. China needs to accumulate more experience in playing the card of public opinion. For any nation, patriotism is a tool for social governance, which we should not be skeptical about.

The author is a commentator with the Chinese edition of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn