TAIPEI - Taiwanese pop star Show Lo is not hiding his love life any more, after he was photographed having a rendezvous with Chinese social media celebrity Zhou Yangqing in Shangahi, said Taiwanese newspapers.

Zhou, 26, is the first girlfriend Lo, 35, has acknowledged in his 20 years in the limelight, said China Times.

The singer was in Shanghai for a commercial shoot last month, when the couple checked into the same hotel, said Chinese gossip website www.quanminxingtan.com. The site published photos of what it said was Lo emerging from Zhou's room in Ruijin Hotel on two mornings.

After the photos were shared on the site's Weibo page, Lo responded on his microblog: "Yes...thank you." He thanked the paparazzi for their "hard work", and added: "I will still try to do my job well."

Zhou is a Beijing fashion blogger with an online beauty shop. She has been nicknamed Little Angelababy because of her resemblance to the Hong Kong actress.

Rumours of the couple's romance started going round in April last year, when Lo went to Japan with his mother and was seen shopping with Zhou there, said Apple Daily.

Through the years, he has been linked to pop stars and television starlets including Yuki Hsu, Selina Jen, Rainie Yang, Makiyo, Amber An and Tia Lee, but never admitted dating them. In 2005, he said he would never go public with his love life unless he was getting married.

But on Wednesday, Lo's agent downplayed the significance of the singer's confirmation of his current romance, said Apple Daily. "Little Pig said those words 10 years ago," the agent said, using Lo's nickname. "He's just sharing his happiness, but it can't be equated with marriage."