Jackie Chan's China comments prompt backlashSun Apr 19, 2009
AP
HONG KONG - Action star Jackie Chan 's comments wondering whether Chinese people "need to be controlled" have drawn sharp rebuke in his native Hong Kong and in Taiwan .
Chan told a business forum in the southern Chinese province of Hainan that a free society may not be beneficial for China 's authoritarian mainland.
"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not," Chan said Saturday. "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."
He went on to say that freedoms in Hong Kong and Taiwan made those societies "chaotic."
Chan's comments drew applause from a predominantly Chinese audience of business leaders, but did not sit well with lawmakers in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
"He's insulted the Chinese people. Chinese people aren't pets," Hong Kong pro-democracy legislator Leung Kwok-hung told The Associated Press. "Chinese society needs a democratic system to protect human rights and rule of law."
Another lawmaker, Albert Ho, called the comments "racist," adding: "People around the world are running their own countries. Why can't Chinese do the same?"
Former British colony Hong Kong enjoys Western-style civil liberties and some democratic elections under Chinese rule. Half of its 60-member legislature is elected, with the other half picked by special interest groups. But Hong Kong's leader is chosen by a panel stacked with Beijing loyalists.
In democratically self-ruled Taiwan, which split from mainland China during a civil war in 1949, legislator Huang Wei-che said Chan himself "has enjoyed freedom and democracy and has reaped the economic benefits of capitalism. But he has yet to grasp the true meaning of freedom and democracy."
Chan's comments were reported by news outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but were ignored by the mainland Chinese press.
Although Chan was a fierce critic of the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in June 1989, which killed at least hundreds, he has not publicly criticized China's government in recent years and is immensely popular on the mainland.
He performed during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and took part in the Olympic torch relay .
Chan also is vice chairman of the China Film Association, a key industry group.
___
Associated Press writer Annie Huang in Taipei contributed to this report.
Chan told a business forum in the southern Chinese province of Hainan that a free society may not be beneficial for China 's authoritarian mainland.
"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not," Chan said Saturday. "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."
He went on to say that freedoms in Hong Kong and Taiwan made those societies "chaotic."
Chan's comments drew applause from a predominantly Chinese audience of business leaders, but did not sit well with lawmakers in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
"He's insulted the Chinese people. Chinese people aren't pets," Hong Kong pro-democracy legislator Leung Kwok-hung told The Associated Press. "Chinese society needs a democratic system to protect human rights and rule of law."
Another lawmaker, Albert Ho, called the comments "racist," adding: "People around the world are running their own countries. Why can't Chinese do the same?"
Former British colony Hong Kong enjoys Western-style civil liberties and some democratic elections under Chinese rule. Half of its 60-member legislature is elected, with the other half picked by special interest groups. But Hong Kong's leader is chosen by a panel stacked with Beijing loyalists.
In democratically self-ruled Taiwan, which split from mainland China during a civil war in 1949, legislator Huang Wei-che said Chan himself "has enjoyed freedom and democracy and has reaped the economic benefits of capitalism. But he has yet to grasp the true meaning of freedom and democracy."
Chan's comments were reported by news outlets in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but were ignored by the mainland Chinese press.
Although Chan was a fierce critic of the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square in June 1989, which killed at least hundreds, he has not publicly criticized China's government in recent years and is immensely popular on the mainland.
He performed during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and took part in the Olympic torch relay .
Chan also is vice chairman of the China Film Association, a key industry group.
___
Associated Press writer Annie Huang in Taipei contributed to this report.
26 comments:
Right, he has a lot of experiences as a film actor very well know in the world. It is not just the Chinese society but also for many countries in southeast Asia. Of course we all love the democracy, but first we need to understand the unwritten law.
Democracy won't work for every social context.
I believe that the majority of people in the world will vote for a lift of restriction on travel(though most of the votes would be from the poor nations which consist of the majority of population), however, this seems wouldn't work for those rich nations. Is it democratic?
Look at the US the active acvocacy of democracy, but it was actively supporting Musaraf, former president of Pakistan who standed at their side to fight the so call 'terrorism'.
Look at Thailand, is the current goverment elected democratically?
But what were the reactions from those democratic western nations? Nothing, because Thailand is their ally.
A system of rulling a country would never be a generic form, the blind copy without look deep into the society which varied up geographic and climate would be a catastrophic. China before the communist regime is a good example.
Chan himself "has enjoyed freedom and democracy and has reaped the economic benefits of capitalism. But he has yet to grasp the true meaning of freedom and democracy."
Yet, even he himself has been living in a freedom and democratic system but still fails to understand and appreciate it, then how can this system be justified as the only best for human society?
May Buddha bless you Chan!
On the face of it it seems a bizarre comment to make considering his choice of lifestyle, and how he earns his living, particularly the films he has made in america.
However when you think of it he's just towing the communist party line. The "touch" was probably put on him to make such statements, so as to re-enforce the party's doctrine, not just at the conference in Hong Kong, but in full knowledge that his comments would be reported in the international media.
Why would he agree to saying them? Because his position and status in China would be at stake, both financially and possibly physically. No-one is out of reach of the communist party, and Jackie Chan is smart enough to know that.
3:54 PM It is an interesting comment to think about.
Truely that freedom and democracy are not 100% perfect.
However, like George Orwell wrote in "Animal Farm" dystopian novel :
"All animals are equal, some animals are more equal than others".
Thus, surely that i choose and do want to be the kind of people in second sentence!
Naturally, human being is egoistic, Why the others have to point out my own ways of life, instead of myself "Ego"?
UP
Chan can handle the truth, and he speaks the truth while others still in denail.
Chan can handle the truth, and he speaks the truth while others still in denial.
Yep,let's this CHINESE experience under POLPOT's regime where the big stick and bullet are talking.Millions upon millions of people had lost their lives figfhting for freedom and what this chinese want is just the opposite.JACKIE CHAN,there is still one place on earth that fit your desire ,the place that force you to worship the leader all the time and that place is NORTH KOREA. Go live and enjoy there.
After living in the US and everything , you still come up with such idea? Unbelievable Chan! You're the one that need to be controlled. Evrybody else wants to be freed!
One good thing about being control in China in population, because there is just too many chinese around. That is why life in Asia is so cheap. Now that you need to be controlled to a certain degree, but pulling out a baby from their mothers's wombs when they are 7-8 months term in side theirs? and finish their life off after they got them out? It is just for your wife Chan. Now you need to get lost!.
Beware Chan is Freedom deprivation.
Chan is right 100%. The elite or business tycoons are getting carried away leaving the poor people having no hope. The elite have to much freedom and they become an organize crime.
Chan is right and right big time.
His warning will come truth eventually. People hate to hear the warning because they have something to hide.
Taksin tried to help the poor but his good deeds scared the hell of those elite powerful tycoons, so they ganged up on him by the helps from the Thai monarchy who 101% breaks the law of the land.
Chan only warned to those elite tycoons to pause their brakes. And why some of these people gone mad?
Who wants to lose FREE _DOM? How would you feel if you wake up hungry found nothing to eat, except to sell your children to those tycoons' prostitution industry?
Do you mean the Chakri family who created an absolute monarchy from 1700's? Chakri family members practice incest? All Chakri Kings slept with their own 1/2 sisters.
Thai monarchy corrupt the nation that's why Bhumibol destroyed the democracy in Thailand by helping the illegal coup against Taksin.
You get to know Sirikit has more diamond and gold than Queen Elizabeth who inherited from her ancestors. Sirikit received gifts every day from those elite tycoon like growing mushroom.
Democracy is like a gun. Human is like a child. If that child isn't well taught and disciplined enough to learn how to handle a gun, he will hurt himself and others.
Democracy can either help you or hurt you depending on you as a person. But as history and human nature has told, human are ego-oriented and cannot handle the weight of democracy well. That's why we have abuse of power of democracy under certain people.
Look at some of American history under wonderful democracy banner. Vietnam War. They advertised that war as a war for democracy in South Vietnam but in reality American uses the word democracy and all of its meaning to serve its purpose of spreading its imperial influence in the region and to combat the Soviet, indirectly, might i say. They didn't give a shit about democracy. Look at how corrupted the people they put in leadership role for South Vietnam. Those South Vietnam leaders abused and oppressed their own people. That's why there were huge public demonstration which eventually leads to CIA backed murder of the South Vietnamese president, whatever his name was.
You see? Democracy looks good on the paper but perhaps many people have abuse the term for their own personal benefits.
Apparently, we can't do anything wrong as long as it is for democracy right? Does that frighten you, all the blind democracy lovers? Learn about the Salem witch hunt trial and see how democracy is being used as a tool in such a similar fashion.
I bet this chinese dumbass can't stand for one minute in the controlled environment where you permitted only to take order and obey and when you decide to express your own opinion you will be 100% end up in jail.Dumbass! freedom is not cheap.
Chacky you morone! people need to be controled, but not by force or a wime of a person or a group!
People need to be controled by law and respect! and the laws should be come out from people that call DEMOCRAZY!
he have too much Confuse!
Look at all the dumb asses on here making premature calls on someone's statement. Why don't you morons go to read his statement in its entity and get the real picture of what he is saying all in tact in its context.
As history has told, we should all listen carefully to the one whose remarks are controversial because most of the time the controversy of their statement is the fact of life that people don't like to hear about.
Look at Bill Cosby's straight talk about the negligence of people parents. The guy was well liked one day and the next day he talks about the reality of things, people went crazy and couldn't take it.
Word that Jackie Chan should use is DISPLINE not CONTROL.What he has said really make the communist thought that what they have done to oppress the people are right.
Ye 5:43am you are right,Displine is more appropriate. Maybe the word was incorrectly translated from Chinese. So that's why it generated such hot debates.
Jackie is a good and nice guy until he opened his mouth.
His say is not clear- Chinese people need to be controled by what or whom?
Does its government also needs to be controled?
Even Heaven uncontrollable of evil master force.
The Creator and the ruler of the universe put the the law in force(a rule of conduct or action established by custom or laid down and enforced by a governing authority or the whole body of such rules)
No matter Heaven or earth and underworld,They have their own laws.
I believe Brother Jackie chan is worry about the people of China,Because there are 1.2 billions people or more in his homeland.But in his heart everyone in this world deserved freedom.
Jackie you are a Jack**** if you think you can speak so patronisingly for the oppressed. Why don't you talk to those who have lost children under piles of poorly constructed school buildings during the Sichuan earthquake. They will tell you how their own government is trying to cover their butts and hide the kind of government corruption that has allowed poor building practices to proliferate.
Chan himself need to be controlled for not let him do anything without first approve from the slave master, the communist. Then he would understand and know how important it is to live in a free world that has freedom. It's his freedom that have been bringing him famous all over the world.
people who love freedoom around the world are going to look at Jackie Chan in a different way from now on. No one knows that he was such a jack ass. Don't let him come to America. He is communist.
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