Taiwanese actress Chen Yanxi (Michelle Chen) has been embroiled in a series of controversies recently. After ending her nine-year marriage with Chinese actor Chen Xiao and undergoing emergency surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon, resulting in a complete work hiatus, she is now caught up in a new livestream sales controversy that has drawn significant public attention.
Chinese health supplement brand “Yousiyi” was recently exposed for allegedly fabricating its brand story and award records. The brand, which claimed to be imported from Australia, was found to be registered at an address that reportedly belongs to an auto repair shop, sparking public outrage. Several celebrities who previously promoted the product in livestreams, including Chen Yanxi, Ming Dao, and Annie Yi, have quickly issued statements to mitigate the fallout. Chen Yanxi stated that she had immediately terminated her partnership with the brand and promised to “proactively offer a full refund and take responsibility first,” stressing that she would strengthen due diligence on future brand collaborations to protect consumers’ interests.
However, the controversy has not died down. On the 6th, state media outlet People’s Daily published a commentary, unusually using strong rhetoric to point out the chaotic situation. The article criticized some businesses for long neglecting product quality, instead focusing on fabricating a fake “overseas background,” buying non-existent international awards, and hiring so-called experts to endorse products, thus misleading consumers with a “foreign brand” image.
The commentary also turned its focus toward the livestream sales ecosystem, criticizing some livestream hosts for carrying out only superficial checks on product origin, qualifications, and quality, failing to fulfill their gatekeeping responsibilities. This, it said, not only undermines consumer trust but also fosters problematic business practices. The article emphasized that such problems “cannot be excused with a simple ‘I didn’t know’ or ‘the partnership has ended,’ nor can a mere apology resolve the issue,” indicating that authorities are adopting a stricter regulatory stance toward celebrity-endorsed livestream sales misconduct. #
Source: United Daily News