Shares of 85 Cafe plunge, after its reception of proindependence Tsai

Shares of the parent company of the Taiwan-based chain 85 Degrees Celsius Bakery Café (85 Cafe) has plunged after the store’s welcome of pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party leader Tsai Ingwen sparked criticism in the Chinese mainland.

Shares of Gourmet Master, the parent company of the 85 Cafe, on Friday plunged by the daily trading limit to NT$228 ($7.43).

From Wednesday to Friday, the market value of Gourmet Master decline by more than 9 billion yuan, according to a Taiwan-based newspaper on August 17.

An 85 cafe in Los Angeles welcomed Tsai during her recent visit to the city, where attendants took photos with her and gave her a present, according to media reports.

The incident sparked a heated controversy among mainland customers, and later many domestic take-out food websites removed products and information regarding the bakery.

85 Cafe said on its Weibo account on Wednesday that the company opposes any behavior or comments that split cross-Straits compatriots.

Apart from 85 cafe, a Taiwan-based hotel – the Four Points by Sheraton, reportedly cut relations with the hotel chain Marriott International after its online address was labeled “Zhongguo Taiwan (China Taiwan)” by Marriott’s hotel booking website, which was a move to stress its pro-independence stance.

The Global Times saw that there were about a dozen comments under one of the hotel’s Weibo posts, criticizing its pro-independence attitude.