Wang Xiaofei has confronted his mother for implicating him in controversies following the death of his ex-wife Barbie Hsu (right). Photos: China Press, Barbie Hsu/Instagram
Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei has reportedly severed ties with his mother, restaurant entrepreneur Zhang Lan, for implicating him in controversies following the death of his ex-wife, Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu.
In a WeChat update on Feb 9, Wang, 43, posted a photo of his mother, saying he could no longer support her.
“From today onwards, I’m cutting all ties with her. She has made enough money to last several lifetimes, yet she still tries to exploit me,” he wrote, as quoted by Oriental Daily.
This isn't the first time Wang has called out his 66-year-old mother.
Last week, the businessman confronted his mother for liking a video suggesting he had paid for the jet that transported Hsu’s ashes from Japan to Taiwan – a claim denied by Hsu’s family.
During a live stream at the time, Zhang put Wang on loudspeaker as he called in, asking: “What have I done to deserve this? Why do you keep acting like this?”
In another update, Wang has announced plans to sue Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, after the platform banned him.
The ban was imposed on both Wang and Zhang for allegedly violating public order and morality, disrespecting the deceased and their family, and stirring public unrest.
In a statement, Wang argued that he shouldn't be punished for his mother's actions, emphasising that he had never claimed to have paid for the flight that carried Hsu's ashes.
Despite his remarks, many Chinese netizens dismissed the move as a publicity stunt.
Some even dug up old posts, noting that as early as 2022, both Wang and Zhang had declared they were cutting ties.
“This seems familiar. Can someone count how many times this has happened in recent years?” one netizen quipped.
Hsu, who was 48, died in Japan on Feb 2 due to complications from influenza. Her remains were transported back to Taiwan on Feb 5.
The Meteor Garden star married Wang in 2010 and had two children with him. Following their 2021 divorce, the pair frequently engaged in a war of words on social media.
In 2022, Hsu tied the knot with South Korean musician DJ Koo, whom she had dated from 1998 to 1999. Meanwhile, Wang married Taiwanese influencer Mandy Ma in 2024.
