Actor Zhang Ziyi, known for films such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Memoirs of a Geisha and more, is the first major Chinese celebrity to publicly declare his adherence to Xi Jinping’s policies following the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
In a video taken from Chinese media, the actor said (translated from Mandarin), “General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed in the report of the 20th National Congress that to promote cultural self-confidence and self-improvement, to create a new glory of socialist culture, we must meet the spiritual and cultural needs of the people, and we must continue to strengthen the country’s cultural soft power and Chinese cultural influence.As an artistic worker, I also study very seriously and I understand the general secretary’s request.
She went on to say, “In the future, I will adhere to the people-centered creative orientation as instructed by the Secretary-General, I will adhere to the position of Chinese culture…I will tell the Chinese story.” to the world and I will spread the Chinese voice.”
China and Hollywood
Although he was the first celebrity to react after Xi Jinping announced a historic third term as CPC general secretary and leader of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang is not the first celebrity to express publicly his support for the Party and Xi. Actor Jackie Chan has expressed his support for the regime, going so far as to say he would like to join the Party, previously telling a symposium, “I am jealous that you are CCP members. The CCP is really great. “
The Chinese film industry and its relationship with Hollywood have come under intense scrutiny in recent years, as the CCP’s censorship policies appear to have been exported to US-produced films for Western audiences. Hollywood studios previously made various concessions in exchange for access to the Chinese market, which previously accounted for a third of the world’s box office value. These included adding Chinese actors, such as Zhang Ziyi, to hit films such as Godzilla: King of the Monsters Where The Cloverfield Paradox. This dynamic has been criticized by organizations including PEN America.
Propaganda and censorship
Xi Jinping’s recent push to further promote nationalism follows several years of growing cultural reforms across China, leading to new regulations being introduced for studios and filmmakers. Above all, creators must “serve the people and socialism”. Last year, the China Film Administration, which is under the control of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party Central Committee, released a new five-year plan in which the authority encouraged the industry to promote what the government directed by the Communist Party considers to be correct values, as well as traditional Chinese culture through film.
Additionally, the past two years have seen a nationwide crackdown on entertainment and a shift to promote locally produced films, many of which are propaganda films such as The Battle of Changjin Lake. It should be noted that many of these regulations are not necessarily exclusive to the film industry, but have equivalents in all forms of media, including television, radio, and video games. Last year, it was reported that video game developers had been instructed to exclude LGBTQ+ relationships and characters, as well as “effeminate males”.
Source: Twitter
