In the midst of heightened tension over the unrest in Hong Kong, many of the top topics trending on China's Weibo platform last week pertained to international brands.
From Versace and Givenchy to Coach and Swarovski, the companies apologized for daring to mislabel Hong Kong or Taiwan as countries on their products or websites.
Supermodel Liu Wen, actress Yang Mi and pop idol Jackson Yee were among the celebrities who publicly severed their endorsement contracts with the brands and declared their allegiance with Beijing.
The political message was unmistakable: there is zero-tolerance for political incorrectness.
For entertainers whose primary market is China, the choice seems simple: it is necessary to curry favor with the regime to safeguard their commercial success.
But for performers who aspire to international fame, there could be a huge price to pay for indiscriminate patriotism.
Last week, supporters of the Hong Kong protests called for a boycott of Disney's Mulan remake after actress Liu Yifei, who plays the title role, said on Weibo she supported the city's police.
Hong Kong police are celebrated as heroes in China, but have been criticized in Hong Kong for their use of excessive force against demonstrators and for their inaction during a violent mob attack on protesters and bystanders in the northern district of Yuen Long.
Jackie Chan has also sparked a backlash. Earlier this month, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV launched a social media campaign called "The Five-Starred Red Flag Has 1.4 Billion Flag Guards," after protesters threw a Chinese flag into Victoria Harbour.
In an emotional interview with CCTV, Chan declared that he, too, was a "national flag guard".
Many in Hong Kong responded in anger, and one retweeted the video of the offending interview with the message: "For those who still don't understand why #Hong Kong people hate Jackie Chan."
Still, although #BoycottMulan has generated tens of thousands of likes and retweets, its impact remains uncertain as the world premiere is still many months away.
Besides, Twitter is blocked in China. A boycott of the movie in Hong Kong and some Western countries could also rally nationalist support for Liu in China.
Ironically, Liu's comment on the Hong Kong protests has also been picked apart in China.
The actress, reportedly a naturalized American citizen, was criticized on Weibo for interfering in China's internal affairs.
Liu was also accused of purposely leaving an emoji of the Chinese flag out of her post, unlike other stars. It all smacks of a return to the days of the "literary inquisition."
Meanwhile, China has also forced everyone in the world of Chinese-language cinema to pick sides by boycotting Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards, which will be held on the same day as its Golden Rooster Awards.
As the US-China trade war and the Hong Kong situation rage on, it seems certain that there will be more pressure on entertainers to declare their positions and also more policing of their public statements.
But stars with international reach must be thoughtful, if not strategic, before endorsing any side.
While Chinese patriotism is useful for rallying citizens and legitimizing any tough action with regard to the Hong Kong situation, it risks further polarizing public discourse and undermining China's narrative of its peaceful rise.
Overplaying this hand could leave Chinese leaders less wiggle room should they later need to retreat under international pressure.
Just as protesters should face legal consequences for using violence, Hong Kong police should be held accountable for using unwarranted force.
If an independent investigation reveals that Hong Kong police had, as widely reported outside China, used excessive force against demonstrators, those celebrities' political calculations could go down the drain.
By the same token, given China's desire to project its soft power internationally, it is not enough to broadcast its side of the story to its domestic audience " and, by doing so, incite bigotry and hatred.
Entertainers could be powerful brand ambassadors for China itself. They shouldn't be involved in spreading divisive propaganda.
Chiu-Ti Jansen, with advanced degrees from Yale and Columbia, is the founder of multimedia platform China Happenings and a former corporate partner of international law firm Sidley Austin
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