China patriotism: producers to be forced to label dual citizenship actors in bid to remove non-Chinese artists from screens
- China’s entertainment industry is under an ongoing crackdown targeting salaries, behaviour and patriotism
- Actors with foreign nationality must be declared in production credits under new rules intended to stop producers using non-Chinese artists
Television drama producers in China will be required to reveal the nationalities of foreign actors they employ from April, a move by the mainland government to further limit on-camera opportunities for ethnically Chinese actors with foreign citizenship.
This is according to the new TV drama production standard issued by the National Radio and Television Administration late last month. Effective from April 1, the foreign nationalities of actors and production crews should be displayed in production credits. The stipulation also covers cast and crew members from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
It has been a common practice for years for TV dramas and movies to list the nationalities of actors holding foreign citizenship as well as those who are from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. But it’s the first time that the state authority has made it mandatory.
Two years ago a comprehensive programme content rule barred the use of “inappropriate” actors from outside the mainland. Industry insiders regarded this as an order to limit the use of stars from overseas because the criteria for “inappropriate” actors was vague and unclear resulting in arbitrary interpretations.
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China bans dual citizenship, however many famous Chinese entertainers have obtained foreign citizenship, such as Beijing-born kung fu star Jet Li who is a Singaporean citizen, Crystal Liu Yifei, an American citizen who was born and grew up in Wuhan, and Siqin Gaowa, an accomplished Inner Mongolian actress who is a Swiss national.
In 2008, when mainland-based top actress Gong Li who enjoyed global fame was forced to relinquish her Chinese citizenship in order to obtain Singaporean nationality, it triggered public outrage on the mainland. Many people lambasted her for “betraying China”.
China’s entertainment industry is under an ongoing crackdown, with actors accused of being immoral or behaviour not in line with the authorities views receiving severe punishment and sanction.
