Love affairs between musicians and models are a common occurrence in the showbiz world.
But 24-year-old Chinese pop star Zhang Muyi has caused controversy after publicly declaring his love for a baby-faced model who is just 12-years-old.
Despite the fact that Canada-based Akama Miki is not yet in her teens, the pair have exchanged romantic messages on Sina Weibo, a Chinese social networking site.
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Relationship: Pop star Zhang Muyi (left), 24, declared his feelings for 12-year-old Akama Miki (right) on a Chinese social networking site
‘Couple’: Child model Miki and her 24-year-old music coach regularly post photographs of themselves together on Weibo – a Chinese social networking site
Controversial: Shortly after her 12th birthday Akama Miki wrote online about saying ‘I do’ to the pop star when she is ‘old enough’
The pair have recorded duets, appeared together in music videos, and regularly post photos of themselves online.
As speculation surrounding Miki and Muyi’s relationship grew following their posts on Weibo the pair began trending on Twitter, with some commentators branding the rumoured romance ‘gross’, while others dismissed it as a publicity stunt.
The furore prompted singer Muyi to write this response on his Weibo page: ‘There’s nothing we can do about this, nor do we feel the need to prove anything to these people.
‘All we can do is continue to persevere with our love, our life, and being together.’
Collaboration: Model Akama Miki, 12, left, is seen with 24-year-old rumoured boyfriend Zhang Muyi, right, in a music video for a duet recorded by the pair
IT' A PUBLICITY STUNT. AS LONG AS HE DOES NOT DO ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE, IT WILL REMAIN A PUBLICITY STUNT.