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Updated Thursday, April 23, 2009 2:08 pm TWN, By Le-Min Lim, Bloomberg Jackie Chan faces film boycott for Taiwan commentsThe Hong Kong Tourism Board, which uses the comedy and action star as its ambassador, said it received 164 comments and complaints from the public over his remarks made on April 18. Chinese-language broadsheet and online media in Taiwan have criticized Chan, 55, who spoke about freedom during a panel discussion at the Boao Forum. The annual gathering of state officials, scholars and businessmen was organized by the Chinese government, on China's southern island-province of Hainan. “These remarks are unfortunate and laughable,” said James Sung, a political science professor at City University in Hong Kong. The younger generation acts more independently and confidently than Chan imagines, he said. Chan's Hong Kong-based spokesman Solon So declined to discuss the Boao incident. Asked if Chan's comments were taken out of context, So said “Yes.” Some bloggers urged a boycott of Chan's work, as his latest movie, “Shinjuku Incident,” plays in Asia theaters. The film is about an illegal Chinese worker who's ensnared by Japan's underworld disputes. Bird's Nest Concert Hu Xingdou, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, said he e-mailed more than 10,000 people yesterday, urging them not to watch Chan's movies or attend his planned May 1 concert at Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium; Chan would be the first star to hold a concert at the 2008 Summer Olympics venue. “He's done a disservice to the Chinese people,” said Hu, in a phone interview. “Every human has a right to freedom, as long as it's not at another's expense. The Chinese have struggled throughout history against foreign and local oppressors, who treated them like they had no rights and didn't know better.” On April 19, Hong Kong's Apple Daily, one of the city's most widely circulated Chinese newspapers, featured the remarks on its front page, with the headline “Jackie Chan Is a Knave.” The next day, the same newspaper called on him to apologize. Unprecedented Incident On April 21 alone, the tourist board received 120 e-mails and calls from the public, most of whom expressed dissatisfaction at Chan's remarks, said Mayee Tang, the agency's spokeswoman. She declined to specify the complaints. Tang called this incident unprecedented. Chan has been the tourism promotion board's unpaid ambassador since 1995. Chan, sent at the age of seven to train for a decade as an opera performer, has appeared in more than 100 movies, most of them made in Hong Kong. He rose to fame for his kung-fu moves, featured in films like “Drunken Master” in 1978. Asked if the Tourism Board would retain him as its ambassador, Tang cited the agency's chairman James Tien as saying it would “study the case.” “The biggest casualty in this incident might be Chan himself,” said Sung. In 2006, the “Rush Hour” and “Shanghai Noon” star said he will pledge half his net worth to charity when he dies, according to Hollywood.com, which didn't say how much he's worth. Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here Comments April 24, 2009 gmns724@ Humiliation!!! April 24, 2009 ooitc@ Jackie Chan's comment truly reflects the freedom of speech. Look at yourselves how chaotic it is in your Legislative Yuan. It is a disgrace compared to countries that practice democracy. Those DPP idiots are a bunch of LIARS AND HYPOCRITES AND RUBBISH TO TAIWAN'S SOCIETIES. April 24, 2009 k.sun@ Jackie spoke the truth. Unfortunately, there are people who prefer to be comforted in false compliments. April 24, 2009 boyongliang@ in.sanxia@ wrote: Ditto!!If the shoe fits, wear it. We refuse to stand in line, we jump in front of old grannies to get the dark blue seats on the MRT, we try to run over pedestrians crossing the street, we ignore "No Parking" signs, we block sidewalks with illegal construction, we ride our motor scooters on the sidewalk, and we do what ever we want, whenever we want, with little consideration for our neighbors, unless someone is closely watching us. Face it - Jackie is right about us. April 25, 2009 taiwanoca@ As a foreigner it's interesting for me to see your way of expression. In China, your comments, your critics would never appear on a public website like this. On the one hand you happily make use of the freedom you were given and on the other hand you criticize its most obvious disadvantages. Show me the perfect democracy....the US, Germany, or Sweden? Living and working in these countries might give you another point of view, might give you another opinion, where Taiwan, in terms of democracy, but also charity and hospitality, is standing towards China. It seems you have a great ability to disrespect yourselves, in my opinion that's much more disgraceful than finding one’s own way to offer personal freedom and security, and sometimes making some big mistakes in doing so. If you can't accept your country's mistakes, you shouldn't make use of what it gives to you. If a child just learned how to walk and sometimes falls down and accidentally breaks something, would you tie him to a bed so this could never happen again? This is kind of what Jackie is suggesting here. April 25, 2009 blackstar0701@ in.sanxia@ wrote: OMG in.sanxia@ you are so right. I totally agree with you.If the shoe fits, wear it. We refuse to stand in line, we jump in front of old grannies to get the dark blue seats on the MRT, we try to run over pedestrians crossing the street, we ignore "No Parking" signs, we block sidewalks with illegal construction, we ride our motor scooters on the sidewalk, and we do what ever we want, whenever we want, with little consideration for our neighbors, unless someone is closely watching us. Face it - Jackie is right about us. April 25, 2009 blackstar0701@ ooitc@ wrote: Which country are you from?Jackie Chan's comment truly reflects the freedom of speech. Look at yourselves how chaotic it is in your Legislative Yuan. It is a disgrace compared to countries that practice democracy. Those DPP idiots are a bunch of LIARS AND HYPOCRITES AND RUBBISH TO TAIWAN'S SOCIETIES. April 28, 2009 jackie_fan@ Jackie Chan is not only an actor but a charitable and humanitarian man that give comfort to many of the unfortunate. Maybe Jackie played too many action movies with comedy and carelessly made such remark.Still, we believe Jackie sincerely loves his country and all the Chinese people. Jackie meant no HARM to all the Chinese people. Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Lee movies have opened the eyes of foreign movie goers. Even our giant Yao Ming opened the eyes of foreign basketball fans. We the fans of Jackie hope that the Hong Kong Board of Tourism would continue to assign Jackie as its Ambassador of goodwill. April 28, 2009 redstar007@ blackstar0701@ wrote: Inner Somalia, oh boy I gotcha.Which country are you from? April 28, 2009 centaur@ in.sanxia@ wrote: Yeah, don't forget throwing babies in boiling pots, mixing industrial chemicals with milk, assaulting another legislator in front of national TV...If the shoe fits, wear it. We refuse to stand in line, we jump in front of old grannies to get the dark blue seats on the MRT, we try to run over pedestrians crossing the street, we ignore "No Parking" signs, we block sidewalks with illegal construction, we ride our motor scooters on the sidewalk, and we do what ever we want, whenever we want, with little consideration for our neighbors, unless someone is closely watching us. Face it - Jackie is right about us. |
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Face it - Jackie is right about us.