China's celebrity CPPCC members expected to be in spotlight after missteps
Famous names have made missteps in the past and this year will be closely watched
It's not just the government officials and rising political stars who will come under intense media scrutiny at the national parliamentary session this week. Several celebrities will, too, although they may not attend the plenum.
Hong Kong movie star and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) member Jackie Chan raised eyebrows at last year's conference for cuddling up to famous military singer Song Zuying. Photos of Chan 60, approaching Song from behind and snuggling cheek to cheek at a group meeting went viral, evoking disapproval from internet users.
In August, Chan's son Jaycee Chan Jo-ming was caught smoking marijuana at a massage parlour in Beijing. He was formally arrested in September and served six months in jail on charges of sheltering others to use drugs.
Chan senior, who was named China's anti-drugs ambassador in 2009, publicly apologised for his son's drug use and pledged to work with him on his recovery.
Member Zhao Benshan, another household name and prominent figure in entertainment, saw a number of television programmes and dramas he participated in suspended from broadcast by the state censorship organ, without specific reasons being given. A luxurious Beijing club that Zhao has run since 2011 was also found to have been closed recently. Employees at the club told the China News Service the closure was due to sluggish business as a result of President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption drive, which has deterred officials from visiting extravagant venues.
In 2009, Zhao became one of the first Chinese celebrities to own a private jet, at a cost of roughly 200 million yuan.