A lecture on new thinking and challenges to be given in Suzhou, Jiangsu, on July 6, by Professor Gao Zhibin from Taiwan, has been cancelled by its sponsor, an insurance company, for suspicion of denigrating Chinese mainlanders, Thepaper.cn reported.

The lecturer provoked discontent on the mainland in 2011 after making some derogatory remarks on a show in Taiwan. He said that mainlanders are too poor to buy tea eggs and that Taiwanese can draw public attention at Shenzhen’s train station just by eating instant noodles.

He later on responded that he only intended to remind the catering industry to think about regional disparities and marketing strategies rather than slandering mainlanders, as it is impossible for some people in impoverished areas to buy tea eggs every day. Gao added that he could not clearly explain his thoughts in the limited time allowed.

Although it has been more than ten years since he traveled to the mainland, he is still aware of its progress in recent years, and he feels really sorry for letting mainlanders down, the professor noted.